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Old English Ballads. 

Chesterfield's Letters. 



SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY, Publishers 
NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO 




BISHOP PERCY. 



The Silver Series of Classics 



OLD ENGLISH BALLADS 



EDITED, WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES 
JAMES P/MlNAED, Ph.D. 

PROFESSOR OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE IN 
WINTHROP NORMAL COLLEGE, ROCK HILL 
SOUTH CAROLINA 




••• ••• 






SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY 

NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO 



THE LIB«A«Y «F| 

OONG«ESS, 
Two Oo««« Rtceve* 

MAR. 13 1902 

QCOPVwKaKT ENTRY 

c1aS3 ^ XXo. N* 

COPY a 






Copyright, 1902, 
By silver, BURDETT AND COMPANY. 



/ know that he ivho walks in the way these following ballads 
pointy will he manful in necessary fight, fair in trade , loyal in 
love, generous to the poor, tender in the household^ prudent in 
living, plain in speech, merry upon occasion, simple in be- 
havior, and honest in all things. — Sidney Lanier. 



PREFACE. 

Unlike the earlier collections of ballads, this little vol- 
ume is offered to the public without apology for the poems ; 
they have long since established themselves in the body of 
our literature. 

Many teachers, however, have been unable to put them 
into the hands of their pupils for want of a cheap yet faith- 
ful text, and this edition is offered in the hope of answering 
such a need. 

The little trouble necessary for mastering the somewhat 
antiquated forms of the language will be amply repaid by 
the fuller knowledge that will be gained of the real thought 
and feeling of our ancestors. 

I am indebted to Professor Frederick Tupper, Jr., of the 
University of Vermont, for many valuable suggestions. 

JAMES P. KINARD. 
December, 1901. 



CONTENTS. 



PAOB 

INTRODUCTION 9 

BALLADS : 

RoniN Hood and the Monk 23 

RoniN Hood and Guy of Gisborne 30 

The Battle of Ottiouruun ....... 44 

The Hunting of the Cheviot ...... 54 

Sir Patrick Spenb (54 

JoHNiE Armstrong 00 

The Twa Corbies 08 

Sir Hugh 00 

The Braes o' Yarrow 71 

Lord Thomas and Fair Annet ...... 7JJ 

Fair Margaret and Sweet William 78 

Sweet William's Ghost 80 

The Wife of Usher's Well 8;{ 

Young Waters 84 

Edward . . 80 

The Nut-brown Maid 88 

NOTES 10;{ 

GLOSSARY 121 



INTRODUCTION. 



There is a charming simplicity, both in thought and 
speech, in the folk-song of every nation. Ballads, true 
songs of the people, are full of the freshness and vigor 
of youth, and reach the great heart of humanity, as every- 
thing must do that is youthful and natural. Here speech 
and passion are alike elemental, and impress upon us the 
eternal kinship of mankind. Emotions, deep as life itself, 
are set forth in language that a child might understand; 
and this union of strength of feeling and simplicity of 
language results often in an indefinable pathos that goes 
to the heart like a sharp pain. Somewhat of this inde- 
scribable feeling, this sympathy " akin to pain," must be 
felt by every reader of the English ballads. What heart 
is not moved v^hen the tear blinds the eye of Sir Patrick 
Spens, who knows that the king's command, though it 
probably means death, must be obeyed; when fair Mar- 
garet, who has seen her lover pass with his bride, lays 
down her ivory comb and goes forth from her bower to 
return no more; when Johnie Armstrong finds that the 
king has betrayed him ; when Percy takes the hand of 
the fallen Douglas and wails the death of his noble foe; 
or when Kichard Wytharyngton, with ^- both his leggis " 
" hewyne in to (two),'' yet kneels and fights on his knee ! 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

There is much to be learned^ too, of the life of our 
forefathers from the ballads. In these artless songs we 
are admitted unannounced into the presence of our ances- 
tors. And what do we see? That they are brave and 
fair in fight, strong in their love and their hate, and 
cruel in their jealousy. ^^ Manners in this world/' says 
Professor Beers, " are of a primitive savagery. There are 
treachery, violence, cruelty, revenge; but there are also 
honor, courage, fidelity, and devotion that endureth to the 
end.'' ^ 

One must feel, I think, that these ballads are contem- 
porary accounts of the events they describe. Of course 
they have been subject to many changes, and the language 
often represents, not the time when they were first sung, 
but the time when they were written down in the particular 
manuscript that happens to be preserved. And since they 
were transmitted for a long time by oral tradition, it is not 
surprising to find that often there are several versions of 
the same ballad, or that there is much intermingling, — 
stanzas of one song being often repeated verbatim in an- 
other. 

BrandP calls attention to the fact that there is often a 
confusion of persons, brought about by a similar sound in 
the names; that incidents are interpolated, and heroic 
touches exaggerated, — thus adding many new stanzas to 
the original ballad. " Robin Hood " is found in Sherwood, 
Barnesdale, and Inglewood ; at one time under King Ed- 
ward, at another under Richard the Lionhearted. ^^The 

1 " A History of English Romanticism," p. 280. 

2 Paul's " Grundriss," Vol. II, p. 838. 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

Hunting of the Cheviot/' originally English, is found very- 
early with a Scottish conclusion. Sir Patrick Spens, in 
a later version of the ballad of this name, becomes Sir 
Andrew Wood. 

The authorship of the ballads is a vexed question, and 
will probably continue to be so. But one likes to feel, I 
think, that in some way they are a product of the people ; 
that they just grew (however that may be) out of the 
thought and feeling, not of one man, but of a community. 
With our modern ideas of individual authorship, it is im- 
possible for us to understand fully what is meant by com- 
munity authorship, but we must remember that the days 
for making ballads are over.^ And it is not impossible to 
conceive that both community and individual may have 
had a share in the production of a given ballad. Professor 
ten Brink says : — 

"Song and playing were cultivated by peasants, and 
even by freedrnen and serfs. At beer-feasts the harp 
went from hand to hand. Herein lies the essential differ- 
ence between that age and our own. The result of poetical 
activity was not the property and was not the production 
of a single person, but of the community. The work of 
the individual endured only as long as its delivery lasted. 
He gained personal distinction only as a virtuoso. The 
permanent elements- of what he presented, the material, 
the ideas, even the style and meter, already existed. The 
work of the singer was only a ripple in the stream of 
national poetry. Who can say how much the individual 

1 For an exceUent review of the various theories of the authorship of 
ballads, see introduction to Gummere : *' Old English Ballads." 



12 INTKODUCTION. 

has contributed to it, or where in his poetical recitation 
memory ceased and creative impulse began ? In any case 
the work of the individual lived on only as the ideal pos- 
session of the aggregate body of the people, and it soon 
lost the stamp of originality. In view of such a develop- 
ment of poetry, we must assume a time when the collective 
consciousness of a people or race is paramount in its 
unity ; when the intellectual life of each is nourished from 
the same treasury of views and associations, of myths and 
sagas ; when similar interests stir each breast ; and the 
ethical judgment of all applies itself to the same standard. 
In such an age the form of poetical expression will also 
be common to all, necessarily solemn, earnest, and simple." ^ 

The question of the authorship of the ballads is ex- 
pressed somewhat more clearly by Professor Gummere, 
who says : ^ 

'' Who, for example, wrote ' The Battle of Otterburn ' ? 
^NTot a community, — as the poem lies before us, at least. 
Certainly not a ballad-maker like the later Tom Deloney. 
Xot, we may add, the professional though popular min- 
strel. Let us bear in mind ten Brink's account of the 
process; let us fancy much of this homogeneous social 
condition still existing along the border, even in 1388. 
After such a glorious fight, we may think, at merry-mak- 
ings of the village, in the hall of the knight, and among 
the men-at-arms, not forgetting the dance and chorus, 
' the carols of the maidens and minstrels of Scotland,^ and 
even the laments for fallen heroes, stanzas in a traditional 

1 Mabie : '* A Book of Old English Ballads," p. 25. 

2 '' Old English Ballads," p. 311. 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

meter, with traditional tunes, phrases, and style would 
spring into being here, there, and everywhere. The strong- 
est consideration in such a case is the acknowledged apti- 
tude of the older peasant for improvisation and spontaneous 
narrative song. Special names, special deeds, special points 
of view; a traditional art; spontaneous singing. Out of 
all this, by a survival, we will hope, of the fittest, some 
singer of note would in time chant a ballad into unity ; 
we do not exclude a certain amount of invention here, for 
the ballad as we have it, is not a mere improvisation for 
the dance, but a thing of some art, meant to entertain 
listeners, whose share in singing was limited to a refrain. 
So we may think of a traditional ballad founded on known 
events.'' 

It may help us, in this matter of community-creation of 
the ballads, and the frequent changes in them, to recall 
the " counting-out " rhymes of children, with their numer- 
ous variations.^ 

A ballad, like an epic, tells a story, and it is all the 
better ballad if the story, as it is in the epic, is national 
and traditional. The story ought to tell of an event that 
the people have long been familiar with, suffering many 
changes, to be sure, while passing from one generation to 
another. 

It is an interesting feature of ballad literature that it 
deals only with the concrete and the external. There is, 
for instance, nothing subjective on the part of the creator. 
Possibly, on account of the method of composition, there 

iCf. H. C. Bolton: **The Counting-out Rhymes of Children," Lon- 
don, 1888. 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

could not be such an element in the genuine ballads. The 
introspective mood comes into poetry only with the indi- 
vidual author. The treatment of the ballad heroes is en- 
tirely objective. Of the feelings of Percy, or Eobin Hood, 
or Johnie Armstrong we know nothing but what their 
deeds proclaim. We know that they are brave, and 
generous, and faithful, not because of any minute analysis 
of character or motive, but because we are told what 
they do. 

There is no didacticism in the genuine ballads.^ The 
story seems to be told for the pure pleasure of the tell- 
ing. The reader may draw his own moral lessons if he 
chooses, and good moral lessons are taught ; but it is only 
in the modern ballad^ that the moral teaching is ex- 
pressed. A prayer is sometimes found at the end of a 
ballad,^ but it is a mere tag, not a vital part of the ballad 
itself. 

It is not surprising to find that the folk-literature of 
the period from which most of the ballads date should 
show a strong feeling for the supernatural. In that day, 
men and women were closer to ghost-land than we are, 
and their communication with it was more direct. The 
return of the dead to the scene of former happiness or 
woe is cause for as little surprise in ballads as in dreams. 
The dead lover's returning to claim his troth from the 
loved one, or the return of the three sons to comfort 
their distracted mother, is impressive ; but the simple and 

1 See note to " The Nut-brown Maid.'* 

2 Cf. "The Ancient Mariner." 

8 Cf . ** The Hunting of the Cheviot." 



INTRODUCTION. 15 

naive directness of the narrative seems to rob the occur- 
rence of all that would otherwise seem strange and 
unnatural. And here may be found the essential differ- 
ence between the supernatural as used in the ballads 
and the same element in later literature. In the former, 
the supernatural occurrence is told with the simple faith 
of childhood; in the latter, one cannot help feeling that 
there is a conscious effort on the author's part to produce 
an effect on the mind of the reader. 

The regular ballad measure is a stanza of four lines, 
a new division, probably, of the old septenarius couplet. 
There are four stresses or accents in the first and third 
lines, and three in the second and fourth. The second 
and fourth lines usually show rhyme, which is found only 
occasionally in the first and third, a 6 c 6, or a hah. 
Another common ballad measure, and doubtless the older 
one, is a couplet with lines of four accents each. 

Great freedom in the matter of accents is characteristic 
of ballads. Sometimes a number of unaccented syllables 
come together: — 

Leave of \ the hryt \ ling of the dear, \ he sayd \ 
and to your hoijs \ lock ye tayk \ good hede ; \ 

For never \ sithe ye wear \ on your mo^/i |ars home \ 
had ye never \ so mick \ le nede. \ ^ 

Sometimes unaccented syllables are wanting : — 

To kill I alle \ thes ^i7^|les men \ 
Alas, I it wear great \ pit^e | ^ 

1 '* The Hunting of the Cheviot," stanza 13. 

2 " The Hunting of the Cheviot," stanza 18, lines 3, 4. 



16 INTKODUCTION. 

In order to read a line properly it is often necessary to 
change the customary accent of a word by shifting it 
to the last syllable: endyng; bodye ; sertayne ; fightynge. 

Assonance frequently takes the place of rhyme : — 

thinge — behinde (" Guy," stanza 9) ; 
Wynne — him (" Otterburn," stanza 22) ; 
white — alike (" Armstrong," stanza 2) ; etc. 

Initial rhyme, or alliteration, is very common : — 

Bomen 6yckarte uppone the bent ("Cheviot," stanza 5, line 3). 
G^reahundes thorowe the ^reves r/lent (" Cheviot," stanza 6, line 3). 
/Seven, skore spear-men they sloughe (" Cheviot," stanza 25, line 4). 

Repetition is common in ballad literature. Frequently 
an entire stanza is repeated, with the exception of the last 
line and one or two other words. For example : — 

"Aft have I ridden thro StirUng town, 

In the wind bot and the weit ; 
Bot I neir rade thro StirUng town 

Wi fetters at my feet. 

"Aft have I ridden thro Stirling town 

In the wind bot and the rain; 
Bot I neir rade thro Stirling town 

Neir to return again.'''' ^ 

This parallelism is evidently one of the means of add- 
ing emphasis to the narration, a whole stanza being used 
to gain a slight advance in thought. ^'Successive repeti- 
tion occurs more frequently in the older ballads and 
romances than in any other distinct variety of verse. If 
the first line of the stanza contains the direct words of 

1 "Young Waters," stanzas 11 and 12 ; cf. also "The Wife of Usher's 
Well." 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

a speaker, — usually in the form of command, entreaty, 
address, or merely of unlooked-for announcement, — the 
second line generally repeats in whole or in part the 
most emphatic of the words that have preceded. The 
consistency with which this form of repetition is carried 
out in the older poetry of the language may be said to 
constitute almost a formula for ballad structure." ^ 

There are many recurring phrases in the ballads, mere 
conventional formulas, that often serve no other purpose 
than to fill in the stanza: — 

For soth as I yow saye (" Otterburn/' stanza 17, line 2 ; stanza 32, 
line 3 ; stanza 62, line 2 ; stanza 66, line 2 ; stanza 69, line 3). 

For soth as I yow sayne (*' Otterburn," stanza 46, line 2). 

Forsothe as I yow sey ("Monk," stanza 27, line 2). 

Ffor sothe as I yow say (" Monk," stanza 48, line 2 ; stanza 63, 
line 2 ; stanza 66, line 2 ; stanza 78, line 2). 

The sothe as I yow say (" Monk," stanza 60, line 2). 

I tell yow in certayne (" Otterburn," stanza 49, line 2). 
I tell yow in sertayne (" Otterburn," stanza 56, line 2). 
I tell yow in certen (" Monk," stanza 46, line 2). 

it wos the more pitte (" Cheviot," stanza 4, line 4). 
it was the mor pitte (" Cheviot," stanza 51, line 4). 
Alas, it wear great pitte (" Cheviot," stanza 18, line 4). 
Yt was the more pety (" Otterburn," stanza 63, line 4). 

Examples of the refrain, another kind of repetition, may 
be seen in this collection in the last two lines of each 
stanza of ^^The Nut-brown Maid,'' and in the second and 
sixth lines of ^' Edward.'' 

1 C. A. Smith : "Repetition and Parallelism in English Verse," p. 12. 
The author cites ** Guy of Gisborne," stanzas 23, 29. 
c 



18 li^TBODUCTION. 

Some old forms of the language should be noted care- 
fully:— 

her^ hem^ het = their, them, it. 

canfare^ can lepe = fared, leaped. 
moder son = mother's son. 



Ballad Literature. 

That the Angles and Saxons had ballads before the 
Norman Conquest, says Brandl/ is not to be denied if we 
consider human nature, and not to be asserted if we are 
to judge by any material that has been transmitted to us. 
It was not till the middle or the latter part of the fif- 
teenth century that ballads were written down in England. 
" A Gest of Robin Hood '' was printed about 1500. In the 
following century, the sixteenth, there are evidences of a 
keen interest in this kind of literature, as there was in 
everything that touched real life. In 1536 ^^Adam Bell, 
Clim of the Clough, and William of Cloudesley'^ was 
printed in. London, and about 1550 Richard Sheale wrote 
down what is now the oldest manuscript copy of ^^The 
Hunting of the Cheviot." From the end of this century, 
however, till the latter part of the seventeenth, the inter- 
est in ballads declined. According to Brandl, this lack 
of favor is the result of two causes : the opposition of 
Puritan influence before and during the Commonwealth, 
and the popularity of Cavalier songs during the reign of 
Charles II. 

But the old songs were not forgotten. Copies of them 
were gathered and preserved by antiquarians like John 
1 Paurs " Grundriss," Vol. IL p. 840. 



INTKODUCTION. 19 

Selden and Samuel Pepys, and about 1650 a manuscript 
collection was made that became, a hundred years later, 
the basis of Percy's ^^ Keliques.'' In the seventeenth cen- 
tury Dryden published a few ballads in his ^^ Miscellany 
Poems " (1684) ; but it is a well-known fact, and not a very 
strange one, that ballad literature was little regarded in 
the age of '' poetic diction," when the manner was of more 
worth than the matter, when the natural in feeling and 
speech had been entirely supplanted by the artificial. 

Addison, however, saw some good in the old songs, and 
pointed out the beauties of " Chevy Chase " in the SpectOr 
tor (1711),^ but felt it necessary to justify his favor by 
a comparison of many passages in the ballads with fancied 
resemblances in the classics. 

The first significant publication of ballad literature 
in the eighteenth century was "A Collection of Old 
Ballads " (1723-25). In 1724 appeared two important 
collections by Allan Eamsay : *^ The Tea Table Miscel- 
lany,'' and "The Evergreen.'' In 1765, Bishop Percy, at 
that time a young parish clergyman in Northampton- 
shire, published his famous "Eeliques of Ancient English 
Poetry," a work that became a living force in the devel- 
opment of poetry in England. Percy had obtained pos- 
session of a folio manuscript containing one hundred 
and ninety-one ballads, but in the first edition of the 
"Reliques" he printed only forty-five of these, adding to 
them a large number of more modern pieces. "To atone 
for the rudeness of the more obsolete poems," says he, 
" each volume concludes with a few modern attempts in 
1 Spectator, No. 70. Cf. also Nos. 74 and 85. 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

the same kind of writing; and to take off from the 
tediousness of the longer narratives, they are everywhere 
intermingled with little elegant pieces of the lyric kind.'^ 
And with the small number of ballads chosen from the 
manuscript Percy took the most unscholarly liberties. 
"As to the text, he looked on it as a young woman from 
the country with unkempt locks, whom he had to fit for 
fashionable society. . . . All fashionable requirements 
Percy supplied. He puffed out the thirty-nine lines of 
the ^ Child of EIP to two hundred; he pomatumed the 
' Heir of Lin ' till it shone again ; he stuffed bits of wool 
into ^ Sir Caroline,' ' Sir Aldringar ' ; he powdered every- 
thing. The desired result was produced ; his young woman 
was accepted by polite society, taken to the bosom of a 
countess, and rewarded her chaperon with a miter.'' ^ 

In spite of the timidity with which this collection was 
presented to the world, Percy lived to see it one of the 
chief means of recalling writers to a faithful interpretation 
of the beauty and sublimity of whatever is natural. Words- 
worth spoke of it in the following appreciative words : — 

" I have already stated how much Germany is indebted 
to this latter work (the ' Eeliques ') ; and, for our own 
country, its poetry has been absolutely redeemed by it. 
I do not think that there is an able writer in verse of the 
present day who would not be proud to acknowledge his 
obligations to the ^ Reliques ' ; I know that it is so with 
my friends ; and for myself, I am happy in this occasion 
to make a public avowal of my own." ^ 

1 Hales and Furnivall : ** Bishop Percy's Folio Ms.," Vol. I. p. xvi. 

2 Essay Supplementary to Preface of 1815 edition of ''Lyrical Ballads.'* 



INTRODUCTION. 21 

Besides later editions of the "Eeliques/' the following 
collections of ballads deserve mention: Herd's ^^ Ancient 
and Scottish Songs " (1776) ; " Eitson's Ancient Songs " 
(1790) ; " Eobin Hood/' etc. (1796) ; Scott's " Minstrelsy of 
the Scottish Border" (1802); Motherwell's "Minstrelsy, 
Ancient and Modern " (1827) ; and " Bishop Percy's Folio 
Manuscript," edited by Hales and Furnivall (1867-68). 
Our own countryman, Professor Francis J. Child, has 
published, in ten parts (the last left unfinished, 1894),V 
"English and Scottish Popular Ballads," the most com- 
plete collection that has yet been made, and by this monu- 
mental work has made every student of ballad literature 
his debtor. 

1 Completed by Professor G. L. Kittredge of Harvard University. 



OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 



EOBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 

1. In sonier, when the shawes be sheyne, 

And leves be large and long, 
Hit is full.mery in fey re foreste 
To here the foulys song : 

2. To se the dere draw to the dale, 

And leve the hilles hee, 
And shadow hem in the leves grene, 
Under the grene-wode tre. 

3. Hit befel on Whitsontide, 

Erly in a May mornyng, 
The son up fey re can shyne, 
And the briddis mery can syng. 

4. ^' This is a mery mornyng," seid Litull John, 

" Be hyni that dyed on tre ; 
A more mery man then I am one 
Lyves not in Christiante. 

5. '' Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster," 

Litull John can sey, 
" And thynk hit is a fullfayre tyme 
In a mornyng of May." 
23 



24 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

6. " Ye, on thyiig greves me," seid Robyn, 

" And does my hert mycli woo ; 
That I may not no solem day 
To mas nor matyns goo. 

7. "Hit is a fourtnet and more," seid he, 

" Syn I my savyour see ; 
To day wil I to Notyngham, 
With the myght of mylde Marye.'' 

8. Than spake Moche, the mylner sun, 

Ever more wel hym betyde ! 
"Take twelve of thi wyght yemen, 

Well weppynd, be thi side. 
Such on wolde thi selfe slon, 

That twelve dar not abyde." 

9. " Of all my mery men," seid Robyn, 

" Be my f eith I wil non have. 
But Litull John shall bey re my bow, 
Til that me list to drawe." 

10. "Thou shall beyre thin own," seid Litull Jon, 

" Maister, and I wyl beyre myne. 
And we well sliete a peny," seid Litull Jon, 
" Under the grene-wode lyne." 

11. " I wil not sliete a peny," seyd Robyn Hode, 

" In feith, Litull John, with the. 
But ever for on as thou shetis," seide Robyn, 
" In feith I holde the thre." 

12. Thus shet thei forth, these yemen too, 

Bothe at buske and brome. 
Til Litull John wan of his maister 
Five shillings to hose and shone. 



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 25 

13. A ferly strife fel them betwene. 

As they went bi the wey ; 
Litull John seid he had won five shillings, 
And Robyn Hode seid schortly nay. 

14. With that Robyn Hode lyed Litul Jon, 

And smote hym with his hande ; 
Litul Jon waxed wroth therwith, 
And pulled out his bright bronde. 

15. " Were thou not my maister/' seid Litull John, 

'^ Thou shuldis by hit ful sore ; 
Get the a man wTier thou wilt, 
For thou getis me no more." 

16. Then Eobyn goes to ISTotyngham, 

Hym selfe mornyng allone, 
And Litull John to mery Scherwode, 
The pathes he knew ilkone. 

17. Whan Robyn came to Notyngham, 

Sertenly withouten layn. 
He prayed to God and myld Mary 
To bryng hym out save agayn. 

18. He gos in to Seynt Mary chirch. 

And kneled down before the rode ; 
Alle that ever were the church within 
Beheld wel Eobyn Hode. 

19. Beside hym stod a gret-hedid munke, 

I pray to God woo he be ! 
Fful sone he knew gode Eobyn, 
As sone as he hym se. 



26 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

20. Out at the durre he ran, 

Ff ul sone and anon ; 
AUe the gatis of Notyngham 

He made to be sparred everychon. 

21. " Else up/' he seid, '' thou prowde schereff, 

Buske the and make the bowne ; 
I have spyed the kynggis felon, 
Ffor sothe he is in this town. 

22. ^^I have spyed the false felon, 

As he stondis at his masse ; 
Hit is long of the,'' seide the munke, 
" And ever he fro us passe. 

23. " This traytur name is Eobyn Hode, 

Under the grene-wode lynde ; 
He robbyt me onys of a hundred pound, 
Hit shalle never out of my mynde." 

24. Up then rose this prowde shereff, 

And radly made hym yare ; 
Many was the moder son 

To the kyrk with him can fare. 

25. In at the durres thei throly thrast. 

With staves ful gode wone ; 
" Alas, alas ! " seid Eobyn Hode, 
"Now mysse I Litull John." 

26. But Eobyn toke out a too-hond sworde. 

That hangit down be his kne ; 
Ther as the schereff and his men stode thyckust, 
Thedurwarde wolde he. 



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 27 

27. Thryes thorowout them he ran then 

For sothe as I yow sey, 
And woundyt mony a moder son, 
And twelve he slew that day. 

28. His sworde upon the schireff hed 

Sertanly he brake in too ; 
" The smyth that the made/^ seid Robyn, 
" I pray God wyrke hym woo. 

29. '' Ff or now am I weppynlesse,'' seid Eobyn, 

" Alasse ! agayn my wylle ; 
But if I may fle these traytors fro, 
I wot thei wil me kyll.'^ 

30. Eobyn in to the churche ran, 

Throout hem everilkon, 



31. Sum fel in swonyng as thei were dede, 

And lay stil as any stone ; 
Non of theym were in her mynde 
But only LituU Jon. 

32. " Let be your rule/' seid LituU Jon, 

" Ff or his luf that dyed on tre, 
Ye that shulde be dughty men ; 
Het is gret shame to se. 

33. " Oure maister has bene hard bystode 

And yet scapyd away ; 
Pluk up your hertis, and leve this mone. 
And harkyn what I shal say. 



28 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

34. '^ He has servyd Oiire Lady many a day, 

And yet wil, securly ; 
Therfor I trust in hir specialy 
No wyckud deth shal he dye. 

35. " Therfor be glad/' seid Litul John, 

" And let this mournyng be ; 
And I shal be the munkis gyde, 
With the myght of mylde Mary. 



36. 



" We will go but we too ; 
And I mete hym/^ seid Litul John, 



37. " Loke that ye kepe wel owre tristil-tre, 

Under the levys smale, 
And spare non of this venyson, 
That gose in thys vale." 

38. Fforthe then went these yemen too, 

Litul John and Moche on fere. 
And lokid on Moch emys hows. 
The hye way lay full nere. 

39. Litul John stode at a wyndow in the mornyng. 

And lokid forth at a stage ; 
He was war wher the munke came ridyng, 
And with hym a litul page. 

40. " Be my feith,'' seid Litul John to Moch, 

" I can the tel tithyngus gode ; 
I se wher the munke cumys rydying, 
I know hym be his wyde hode." 



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 29 

41. They went in to the way, these yemen bothe, 

As curtes men and hende ; 
Thei spyrred tithyngus at the mimke, 
As they hade bene his frende. 

42. ^' Ffro whens come ye ? " seid Litull Jon, 

" Tel us tithyngus, I yow pray, 
Off a false owtlay, callid Robyn Hode, 
Was takyn yisterday. 

43. '^ He robbyt me and my felowes bothe 

Of twenti marke in serten ; 
If that false owtlay be takyn, 
Ffor sothe we wolde be fayn." 

44. " So did he me,'' seid the munke, 

^^ Of a hundred pound and more ; 
I layde f urst hande hym apon, 
Ye may thonke me therfore." 

45. ^^I pray God thanke you," seid Litull John, 

^^ And we wil when we may ; 
Wo wil go with you, with your leve, 
And bryng yow on your way. 

46. ^^ Ffor Robyn Hode hase many a wilde felow, 

I tell you in certen ; 
If thei wist ye rode this way. 
In feith ye shulde be slayn." 

47. As thei went talking be the way. 

The munke and Litull John, 
John toke the munkis horse be the hede, 
Fful sone and anon. 



30 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

48. Johne toke the munkis horse be the hed, 

Ff or sothe as I yow say ; 
So did Much the litull page, 
Ffor he shulde not scape away. 

49. Be the golett of the hode 

John pulled the munke down ; 
John was nothyng of hym agast, 
He lete hym falle on his crown. 

50. Litull John was sore agrevyd, 

And drew owt his swerd in hye ; 
This munke saw he shulde be ded, 
Lowd mercy can he crye. 

61. " He was my maister," seid Litull John, 

" That thou hase browght in bale ; 
Shalle thou never cuin at our kyng, 
Ffor to telle hym tale." 

62. John smote of. the munkis hed, 

No longer wolde he dwell; 
So did Moch the litull page, 
Ffor ferd lest he wolde tell. 

63. Ther thei beryed hem bothe, 

In nouther mosse nor lyng, 
And Litull John and Much infere 
Bare the letturs to oure kyng. 



64. 



He knelid down upon his kne : 
■ God yow save, my lege lorde, 
Jhesus yow save and se ! 



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK, 31 

65. " God yow save, my lege kyng ! " 

To speke John was full bolde ; 
He gaf hym the letturs in his hond, 
The kyng did hit unfold. 

66. The kyng red the letturs anon, 

And seid, '' So mot I the, 
Ther was never yoman in mery Inglond 
I longut so sore to se. 

67. ^^Wher is the munke that these shuld have 

brought ? '' 
Oure kyng can say : 
'' Be my trouth,'' seid Litull John, 
'' He dyed after the way.'' 

68. The kyng gaf Moch and Litul Jon 

Twenti pound in sertan, 
And made theim yemen of the crown, 
And bade theim go agayn. 

69. He gaf John the seel in hand, 

The sheref for to bere. 
To bryng Eobyn hym to. 
And no man do hym dere. 

60. John toke his leve at oure kyng, 

The sothe as I yow say ; 
The next way to Notyngham 
To take, he yede the way. 

61. Whan John came to Notyngham 

The gatis were sparred ychon; 
John callid up the porter, 
He answerid sone anon. 



32 OLD EKGLrSH BALLADS. 

62. "What is the cause/' seid Litul Jon, 

" Thou sparris the gates so fast ? '' 
" Because of Eobyn Hode/' seid the porter, 
" In depe prison is cast. 

63. " John and Moch and Wyll Scathlok, 

Ffor sothe as I yow say, 
Thei slew oure men upon our wallis. 
And sawten us every day.'' 

64. Litull John spyrred after the schereff, 

And sone he hym f onde ; 
He oppyned the kyngus prive seell, 
And gaf hym in his honde. 

65. Whan the scheref saw the kyngus seell, 

He did of his hode anon : 
" Wher is the munke that bare the letturs ? " 
He seid to Litull John. 

66. " He is so f ayn of hym," seid Litul John, 

" Ffor sothe as I yow say. 
He has made hym abot of Westmynster, 
A lorde of that abbay." 

67. The scheref made John gode chere, 

And gaf hym wyne of the best ; 
At nyght thei went to her bedde, 
And every man to his rest. 

68. When the scheref was on slepe, 

Dronken of wyne and ale, 
Litul John and Moch for sothe 
Toke the way unto the jale. 



KOBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 33 

69. Litul John callid up the jayler, 

And bade hym rise anon ; 
He seyd Robyn Hode had brokyn prison, 
And out of hit was gon. 

70. The porter rose anon sertan, 

As sone as he herd John calle; 
Litul John was redy with a swerd, 
And bare hym to the walle. 

71. "Now wil I be porter/^ seid Litul John, 

" And take the keyes in honde : '^ 
He toke the way to Robyn Hode, 
And sone he hym unbonde. 

72. He gaf hym a gode swerd in his hond. 

His hed therwith for to kepe, 
And ther as the walle was lowyst 
Anon down can thei lepe. 

73. Be that the cok began to crow, 

The day began to spryng ; 
The scheref fond the jay Her ded. 
The comyn bell made he ryng. 

74. He made a crye thoroout al the town, 

Wheder he be yoman or knave. 
That cowthe bryng hym Eobyn Hode, 
His warison he shuld have. 

75. " Pf or I dar never,'^ said the scheref, 

^^ Cum before oure kyng ; 
Ffor if I do, I wot serten 
Ffor sothe he wil me heng.'' 



34 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

76. The scheref made to seke Notyngham, 

Bothe be strete and stye, 
And Eobyn was in mery Scherwode, 
As light as lef on lynde. 

77. Then bespake gode Litull John, 

To Eobyn Hode can he say, 
" I have done the a gode turn for an evyll, 
Quyte the whan thou may. 

78. ^^I have done the a gode turne/' seid Litull 

John, 
" Ff or sothe as I yow say ; 
I have brought the under grene-wode lyne ; 
Ffare wel, and have gode day.^' 

79. '' Nay, be my trouth,'^ seid Eobyn Hode, 

" So shall hit never be ; 
I make the maister,'^ seid Eobyn Hode, . 
" Off alle my men and me." 

80. " Nay, be my trouth,'' seid Litull John, 

" So shalle hit never be ; 
But lat me be a felow," seid Litull John, 
v^^No noder kepe I be." 

81. Thus John gate Eobyn Hod out of prison, 

Sertan withoutyn layn ; 
Whan his men saw hym hoi and sounde, 
Ffor sothe they were full fayne. 

82. They filled in wyne, and made hem glad, 

Under the levys smale. 

And gete pastes of venyson, 

That gode was with ale. 



ROBIN HOOD AND THE MONK. 35 

83. Than worde came to oure kyng 

How Eobyu Hode was gon. 
And how the scheref of Notyngham 
Durst never loke hym upon. 

84. Then bespake oure cumly kyng, 

In an angur hye : 
" LituU John hase begyled the schereff, 
In faith so hase he me. 

85. '^ Litul John has begyled us bothe, 

And that full wel I se ; 
Or ellis the schereff of Notyngham 
Hye hongut shulde he be. 

86. " I made hem yemen of the crowne, 

And gaf hem fee with my hond ; 
I gaf hem grith/' seid oure kyng, 
" Thorowout all mery Inglond. 

87. '' I gaf theym grith/' then seid oure kyng ; 

"I say, so mot I the, 
Ffor sothe soch a yeman as he is on 
In all Inglond ar not thre. 

88. " He is trew to his maister/' seid our kyng ; 

" I sey, be. swete Seynt John, 
He lovys better Robyn Hode 
Then he dose us ychon. 

89. " Eobyn Hode is ever bond to hym, 

Bothe in strete and stalle ; 
Speke no more of this mater,'' seid oure kyng, 
'' But John has begyled us alle.'' 



36 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

90. Thus endys the talkyng of the munke 
And Eobyn Hode i-wysse ; 
God, that is ever a crowned kyng, 
Bryng ns all to his blisse ! 



EOBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBOENE. 

1. When shawes beene sheene, and slxi-adds full 

fayre, 
And leeves both large and longe, 
Itt is merry, walking in the fayre fforrest, 
To heare the small birds songe. 

2. The woodweele sang, and wold not cease, 

Amongst the leaves a lyne ; 
And it is by two wight yeomen, 
By deare God, that I meane. 



3. ^^Me thought they did mee beate and binde, 

And tooke my bow mee f roe ; 
If I bee Eobin a-live in this lande, 
I'le be wrocken on both them towe." 

4. ^^ Sweavens are swift, master," quoth John, 

" As the wind that blowes ore a hill ; 
Ffor if itt be never soe lowde this night. 
To-morrow it may be still." 

6. *^ Buske yee, bowne yee, my merry men all, 
Ffor John shall goe with mee ; 
For I'le goe seeke yond wight yeomen 
In greenwood where the bee." 



KOBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE. 87 

6. The cast on their gowne of greene, 

A shooting gone are they, 
Until they came to the merry greenwood, 

Where they had gladdest bee ; 
There were the ware of a wight yeoman, 

His body leaned to a tree. 

7. A sword and a dagger he wore by his side. 

Had beene many a man's bane, 
And he was cladd in his capull-hyde, 
Topp, and tayle, and mayne. 

8. '^ Stand you still, master,'' quoth Litle John, 

" Under this trusty tree. 
And I will goe to yond wight yeoman, 
To know his meaning truly e." 

9. " A, John, by me thou setts noe store. 

And that's a ffarley thinge ; 
How offt send I my men beffore, 
And tarry my-selfe behinde ? 

10. " It is noe cunning a knave to ken. 

And a man but heSre him speake ; 
And itt were not for bursting of my bowe, 
John, I wold thy head breake." 

11. But often words they breeden bale. 

That parted Eobin and John ; 
John is gone to Barnesdale, 
The gates he knowes eche one. 

12. And when hee came to Barnesdale, 

Great heavinesse there hee hadd ; 
He ffound two of his fellowes 
Were slaine both in a slade, 



38 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

13. And Scarlett a ffoote flyinge was, 

Over stockes and stone, 
For the sheriffe with seven score men 
Fast after him is gone. 

14. '' Yett one shoote I'le shoote/' sayes Litle John, 

"With Crist his might and mayne ; 
I'le make yond fellow that flyes soe fast 
To be both glad and ffaine.'' 

15. John bent up a good veiwe bow, 

And ffetteled him to shoote ; 
The bow was made of a tender boughe, 
And fell downe to his foote. 

16. "Woe worth thee, wicked wood," sayd Litle 

John, 
" That ere thou grew on a tree ! 
Ffor this day thou art my bale, 
My boote when thou shold bee ! '^ 

17. This shoote it was but looselye shott, 

The arrowe ffew in vaine, 
And it mett one of the sheriffe's men ; 
Good William a Trent was slaine. 

18. It had beene better for William a Trent 

To hange upon a gallowe 
Then for to lye in the greenwoode. 
There slaine with an arrowe. 

19. And it is sayd, when men be mett. 

Six can doe more than three : 
And they have tane Litle John, 
And bound him ffast to a tree. 



ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE. 39 

20. " Thou shalt be drawen by dale and downe/' 

quoth the sheriffe, 
" And hanged hye on a hill : " 
" But thou may ffayle/^ quoth Litle John, 
" If itt be Christ's owne will." 

21. Let us leave talking of Litle John, 

For hee is bound fast to a tree, 
And talke of Guy and Robin Hood 
In the green woode where they bee. 

22. How. these two yeomen together they mett, 

Under the leaves of lyne, 
To see what marchandise they made 
Even at that same time. 

23. " Good morrow, good fellow,'' quoth Sir Guy ; 

" Good morrow, good ffellow," quoth hee ; 
" Methinkes by this bow thou beares in thy hand, 
A good archer thou seems to bee. 

24. " I am wilfull of my way," quoth Sir Guye, 

'^ And of my morning tyde : " 
" I'le lead thee through the wood," quoth Eobin, 
"Good ffellow, I'le be thy guide." 

25. " I seeke an outlaw," quoth Sir Guye, 

" Men call him Robin Hood ; 
I had rather meet with him upon a day 
Then forty pound of golde." 

26. " If you tow mett, itt wold be scene whether were 

better 
Afore yee did part awaye ; 
Let us some other pastime find, 
Good ffellow, I thee pray. 



40 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

27. " Let us some other masteryes make, 

And wee will walke in the woods even ; 
Wee may chance meet with Eobin Hoode 
Att some nnsett steven." 

28. They cutt them downe the summer shroggs 

Which grew both under a bryar, 
And sett them three score rood in twinn, 
To shoote the prickes full neare. 

29. " Leade on, good ffellow/* sayd Sir Guye, 

^- Lead on, I doe bidd thee : " 
"Nay, by my faith,'^ quoth Robin Hood, 
" The leader thou shalt bee." 

30. The first good shoot that Eobin ledd. 

Did not shoote an inch the pricke ffroe ; 
Guy was an archer good enoughe. 
But he cold neere shoote soe. 

31. The second shoote Sir Guy shott. 

He shott within the garlande ; 
But Eobin Hoode shott it better than hee, 
For he clove the good pricke-wande. 

32. " God's blessing on thy heart ! " sayes Guye, 

" Goode ff ellow, thy shooting is goode ; 
For an thy hart be as good as thy hands. 
Thou were better than Eobin Hood. 

33. " Tell me thy name, good ffellow," quoth Guy, 

" Under the leaves of lyne : " 
" Nay, by my f aith,'^ quoth good Eobin, 
" Till thou have told me thine." 



ROBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBORNE. 41 

34. " I dwell b}'- dale and downe/^ quoth Guye, 

" And I have done many a curst turne ; 
And he that calles me by my right name, 
Calles me Guye of good Gysborne." 

35. " My dwelling is in the wood," sayes Eobin ; 

" By thee I set right nought ; 
My name is Eobin Hood of Barnesdale, 
A ffellow thou has long sought." 

36. He that had neither beene a kithe nor kin 

Might have seene a full fayre sight, 

To see how together these yeomen went, 

With blades both browne and bright. 

37. To have seene how these yeomen together 

fought 
Two howers of a summer's day ; 
Itt was neither Guy nor Eobin Hood 
That ffettled them to flye away. 

38. Eobin was reacheles on a roote, 

And stumbled at that tyde, 
And Guy Avas quicke and nimble with-all, 
And hitt him ore the left side. 

39. " Ah, deere Lady ! " sayd Eobin Hoode, 

" Thou art both mother and may ! 
I thinke it was never man's destinye 
To dye before his day." 

40. Eobin thought on Our Lady deere. 

And soone leapt up againe. 
And thus he came with an awkwarde stroke ; 
Good Sir Guy hee has slayne. 



42 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

41. He tooke Sir Guy's head by the hayre, 

And sticked itt on his bowe's end : 

" Thou hast beene traytor all thy liffe, 

Which thing must have an ende.'' 

42. Robin pulled forth an Irish kniffe, 

And nicked Sir Guy in the fface, 
That hee was never on a woman borne 
Cold tell who Sir Guye was. 

43. Sales, Lye there, lye there, good Sir Guye, 

And with me be not wrothe ; 
If thou have had the worse stroakes at my hand, 
Thou shalt have the better cloathe. 

44. Robin did off his gowne of greene. 

Sir Guye hee did it throwe ; 

And hee put on that capull-hyde 

That cladd him topp to toe. 

45. '^ The bowe, the arrowes, and litle home, 

And with. me now I'le beare ; 
Ffor now I will goe to Barnesdale, 
To see how my men doe ffare." 

46. Robin sett Guye's home to his mouth, 

A lowd blast in it he did blow ; 
That beheard the sheriffe of Nottingham, 
As he leaned under a lowe. 

47. " Hearken ! hearken ! " sayd the sheriffe, 

'' I heard noe tydings but good ; 
For yonder I heare Sir Guye's home blowe, 
For he hath slaine Robin Hoode. 



robi:n^ hood and guy of gisborne. 43 

48. " For yonder I lieare Sir Guye's home blow, 

Itt blowes soe well in tyde, 
For yonder comes that wighty yeoman, 
Cladd in his capuU-hyde. 

49. '' Come hither, thou good Sir Guy, 

Aske of mee what thou wilt have : " 
" I'le none of thy gold,^' sayes Eobin Hood, 
" Nor rie none of itt have. 

60. " But now I have slaine the master,'' he sayd, 
" Let me goe strike the knave ; 
This is all the reward I aske, 
Nor noe other will I have.'' 

51. ^^ Thou art a madman," said the shiriffe, 

" Thou sholdest have had a knight's ffee ; 
Seeing thy asking hath beene soe badd. 
Well granted it shall be." 

52. But Litle John heard his master speake. 

Well he knew that was his steven ; 
"Now shall I be loset," quoth Litle John, 
"With Christ's might in heaven." 

53. But Eobin hee hyed him towards Litle John, 

Hee thought hee wold loose him belive ; 
The sheriffe and all his companye 
Fast after him did drive. 

54. " Stand abacke ! stand abacke ! " sayd Eobin ; 

" Why draw you mee soe neere ? 

Itt was never the use in our countrye 

One's shrift another shold heere." 



44 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

55. But Robin pulled forth an Irysh kniffe, 

And losed John hand and ffoote, 
And gave him Sir Guye's bow in his hand, 
And bade it be his boote. 

56. But John tooke Guye's bow in his hand 

(His arrowes were rawstye by the roote) ; 
The sherriffe saw Litle John draw a bow 
And ffettle him to shoote. 

57. Towards his house in I^ottingham 

He ffled full fast away, 
And soe did all his companj^e, 
Not one behind did stay. 

58. But he cold neither soe fast goe, 

Nor away soe fast runn, 
But Litle John, Avith an arrow broade, 
Did cleave his heart in twinn. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 

1. Yt felle abowght the Lamasse tyde. 

Whan husbondes Wynnes ther haye, 
The dowghtye Dowglasse bowynd hym to ryde, 
In Ynglond to take a praye. 

2. The yerlle of Fyffe, wythowghten stryffe, 

He bowynd hym over Sulway; 
The grete wolde ever to-gether ryde ; 
That raysse they may rewe for aye. 

3. Over Hoppertope hyll they cam in, 

And so down by Rodclyffe crage ; 
Upon Grene Lynton they lyghted dowyn, 
Styrande many a stage. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 45 

4. And boldely brente Northomberlond, 

And haiyed many a towyn ; 
They dyd owr Ynglyssh men grete wrange, 
To battell that were not bowyn. 

5. Than spake a berne upon the bent, 

Of comforte that was not colde, 
And sayd, ^^ We have brente J^orthomberlond, 
We have all welth in holde. 

6. " Now we have haryed all Bamborowe schyre, 

All the welth in the world have wee; 
I rede we ryde to IsTewe Castell, 
So styll and stalworthlye.'' 

7. Upon the morowe, when it was day, 

The standerds schone f ulle bryght ; 

To the ISTewe Castell the toke the waye, 

And thether they cam fulle ryght. 

8. Syr Henry Perssy laye at the New Castell, 

I tell yow wythowtten drede ; 
He had byn a march-man all hys dayes, 
And kepte Barwyke upon Twede. 

9. To the Newe Casiell when they cam. 

The Skottes they cryde on hyght, 
" Syr Hary Perssy, and thow byste within, 
Com to the fylde, and fyght. 

10. " For we have brente Northomberlonde, 
Thy erytage good and ryght. 
And syne my logeyng I have take, 

Wyth my brande dubbyd many a knyght." 



46 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

11. Syr Harry Perssy cam to the walles, 

The Skottyssch oste for to se, 
And saydj " And thow hast brente Northomberlond, 
Full sore it rewyth me. 

12. " Yf thou hast haryed all Bamborowe schyre, 

Thow hast done me grete envye ; 
For the trespasse thow hast me done, 
The tone of us schall dye." 

13. '^ Where schall I byde the ? " sayd the Dowglas, 

" Or where wylte thow com to me ? ' ^ 
" At Otterborne, in the hygh way, 
Ther mast thow well logeed be. 

14. '^ The roo full rekeles ther sche rinnes, 

To make the game and glee ; 
The fawken and the fesaunt both, 
Amonge the holtes on hye. 

15. '' Ther mast thow have thy welth at wyll. 

Well looged ther mast be ; 
Yt schall not be long or I com the tyll,'^ 
Sayd Syr Harry Perssye. 

16. '' Ther schall I byde the/^ sayd the Dowglas, 

" By the fayth of my bodye : " 
'^ Thether schall I com/' sayd Syr Harry Perssy, 
" My trowth I plyght to the.'' 

17. A pype of wyne he gave them over the walles, 

For soth as I yow saye ; 
Ther he mayd the Dowglasse drynke. 
And all hys ost that daye. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 47 

18. The Dowgias turnyd hym home war de agayne, 

For soth withowghten naye ; 
He toke his logeyng at Oterborne, 
Upon a Wedynsday. 

19. And ther he pyght hys standerd dowyn, 

Hys gettyng more and lesse, 
And syne he warned hys men to goo 
To chose ther geldynges gresse. 

20. A Skottysshe knyght hoved upon the bent, 

A wache I dare well saye ; 
So was he ware on the noble Perssy 
In the dawnyng of the daye. 

21. He prycked to hys pavyleon dore, 

As faste as h'e myght ronne ; 
" Awaken, Dowgias/' cryed the knyght, 
" For hys love that syttes in trone. 

22. " Awaken, Dowgias/' cryed the knyght, 

" For thow maste waken wyth wynne ; 
Yender have I spyed the prowde Perssye, 
And seven stondardes wyth hym." 

23. ^^Nay by my trowth/' the Dowgias sayed, 

" It ys but a f ayned taylle ; 
He durst not loke on my brede banner 
For all Ynglonde so haylle. 

24. " Was I not yesterdaye at the Newe Castell, 

That stondes so f ayre on Tyne ? 
For all the men the Perssy had, 

He coude not garre me ones to dyne.'' 



48 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

25. He stepped owt at his pavelyon clore, 

To loke and it were lesse : 
" Araye jovr, lordynges, one and all, 
For here bygynnes no peysse. 

26. " The yerle of Mentaye, thow arte my erne, 

The f owarde I gyve to the : 
The yerlle of Hnntlay, cawte and kene, 
He schall be wyth the. 

27. ^^ The lorde of Bowghan, in armnre bryght, 

On the other hand he schall be ; 
Lord Jhonstoune and Lorde Maxwell, 
They to schall be with me. 

28. ^^ Swynton, fayre fylde upon your pryde ! 

To batell make yow bowen 
Syr Davy Skotte, Syr Water Stewarde, 
Syr Jhon of Agurstone ! '^ 

29. The Perssy cam byfore hys oste, 

Wych was ever a gentyll knyght ; 
Upon the Dowglas lowde can he crye, 
'' I wyll holde that I have hyght. 

30. ^^ For thou haste brente Northomberlonde, 

And done me grete envye ; 
For thys trespasse thou hast me done, 
The tone of us schall dye.'' 

31. The Dowglas answerde hym agayne, 

Wyth grett wurdes upon hye, 
And sayd, " I have twenty agaynst thy one, 
Byholde, and thou maste see." 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 49 

32. Wyth that the Perssy was grevyd sore, 

For soth as T yow saye ; 
He lyghted dowyn upon his foote, 
And schoote hys horsse clene awaye. 

33. Every man sawe that he dyd soo, 

That ryall was ever in rowght ; 
Every man schoote hys horsse hym froo, 
And lyght hym rowynde abowght. 

34. Thus Syr Hary Perssye toke the fylde, 

For soth as I yow saye ; 
Jhesu Cryste in hevyn on hyght 
Dyd helpe hym well that daye. 

35. But nyne thowzand, ther was no moo, 

The cronykle wyll not layne ; 
Forty thowsande of Skottes and fowre 
That day fowght them agayne. 

36. But when the batell byganne to joyne, 

In hast ther cam a knyght ; 
The letters fayre furtli hath he tayne, 
And thus he sayd full ryght : 

37. " My lorde your father he gretes yow well, 

Wyth many a noble knyght ; 
He desyres yow to byde 
That he may see thys fyght. 

38. '' The Baron of Grastoke ys com out of the west, 

With hym a noble companye ; 
All they loge at your fathers thys nyght. 
And the batell fayne wolde they see.'' 



50 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

39. '^ For Jhesus love/' sayd Syr Harye Perssy, 

^^ That dyed for yow and me, 
Wende to my lorde my father agayne, 
And saye thow sawe me not with yee. 

40. " My trowth ys plyght to yonne Skottysh knyght, 

It nedes me not to layne, 
That I schulde byde hym upon thys bent, 
And I have hys trowth agayne. 

41. " And if that I weynde of thys growende, 

For soth, onfowghten awaye, 
He wolde me call but a kowarde knyght 
In hys londe another daye. 

42. '^ Yet had I lever to be rynde and rente, 

By Mary, that mykkel maye, 
Then ever my manhood schulde be reprovyd 
Wyth a Skotte another daye. 

43. " Wherefore schote, archars, for my sake, 

And let scharpe arowes flee ; 
Mynstrells, playe up for your waryson, 
And well quyt it schall bee. 

44. " Every man thynke on hys trewe-love. 

And marke hym to the Trenite ; 
For to God I make myne avowe 
Thys day wyll I not flee." 

45. The blodye harte in the Dowglas armes, 

Hys standerde stood on hye. 
That every man myght full well knowe ; 
By syde stode starres thre. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 51 

46. The whyte lyon on the Ynglyssh perte, 

For soth as I yow sayne, 
The lucettes and the eressawntes both : 
The Skottes faught them agayne. 

47. Upon Sent Androwe lowde can they crye. 

And thrysse they schowte on hyght, 
And syne merked them one owr Ynglysshe men, 
As I have tolde yow ryght. 

48. Sent George the bryght, owr ladyes knyght, 

To name they were full f ayne ; 
Owr Ynglyssh men they cryde on hyght, 
And thrysse the schowtte agayne. 

49. Wyth that scharpe arowes bygan to flee, 

I tell yow in sertayne ; 
Men of armes byganne to joyne, 

Many a dowghty man was ther slayne. 

60. The Perssy and the Dowglas mette, 
That ether of other was f ayne j 
They swapped together whyll that the swette, 
Wyth swordes of fyne collayne : 

51. Tyll the bloode from ther bassonnettes ranne, 
As the roke doth in the rayne ; 
" Yelde the to me," sayd the Dowglas, 
'' Or elles thow schalt be slayne. 

62. " For I see by thy bryght bassonet, 
Thow arte sum man of myght ; 
And so I do by thy burnysshed brande ; 
Thow arte an yerle, or elles a knyght.'^ 



52 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

63. " By my good f aythe/^ sayd the noble Perssye, 
" Now haste thou rede full ryght ; 
Yet wyll I never yelde me to the, 
Whyil I may stonde and fyght." 

54. They swapped together whyll that they swette, 

Wy th swordes scharpe and long ; 
Ych on other so faste thee beette, 

Tyll ther helmes cam in peyses dowyn. 

55. The Perssy Avas a man of strenghth, 

I tell yow in thys stounde ; 
He smote the Dowglas at the swordes length 
That he fell to the growynde. 

66. The sworde was scharpe, and sore can byte, 
I tell yow in sertayne ; 
To the harte he cowde him smyte, 
Thus was the Dowglas slayne. 

57. The stonderdes stode styll on eke a syde, 
Wyth many a grevous grone ; 
Ther the fowght the day, and all the nyght, 
And many a dowghty man was slayne. 

68. Ther was no freke that ther wolde flye. 
But styffely in stowre can stond, 
Ychone hewyng on other whyll they myght drye, 
Wyth many a bayllefull bronde. 

59. Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde, 
For soth and sertenly, 
Syr James a Dowglas ther was slayne, 
That day that he cowde dye. 



THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 53 

60. The yerlle of Mentaye he was slayne, 

Grysely groned upon the growynd ; 
Syr Davy Skotte, Syr Water Stewarde, 
Syr Jhon of Agurstoune. 

61. Syr Charlies Morrey in that place, 

That never a fote wold flee ; 
Syr Hewe Maxwell, a lord he was, 
Wyth the Dowglas dyd he dye. 

62. Ther was slayne upon the Skottes syde, 

For soth as I yow saye. 
Of fowre and forty thowsande Scottes 
Went but eyghtene awaye. 

63. Ther was slayne upon the Ynglysshe syde, 

For soth and sertenlye, 
A gentell knyght, Syr Jhon Fechewe, 
Yt was the more pety. 

64. Syr James Hardbotell ther was slayne, 

For hym ther hartes were sore ; 

The gentyll Lovell ther was slayne, 

That the Perssys standerd bore. 

65. Ther was slayne upon the Ynglyssh perte, 

For soth as I yow saye. 
Of nyne thowsand Ynglyssh men 
Fyve hondert cam awaye. 

66. The other were slayne in the fylde ; 

Cryste kepe ther sowUes from wo ! 
Seyng ther was so fewe fryndes 
Agaynst so many a foo. 



64 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

67. Then on the morne they mayde them beerys 

Of byrch and haysell graye ; 
Many a wydowe, wyth wepyng teyres, 
Ther makes they fette awaye. 

68. Thys fraye bygan at Otterborne, 

Bytwene the nyght and the day ; 
Ther the Dowglas lost hys lyffe, 
And the Perssy was lede awaye. 

69. Then was ther a Scottysh prisoner tayne, 

Syr He we Mongomery was hys name ; 
For soth as I yow saye, 

He borowed the Perssy home agayne. 

70. Now let us all for the Perssy praye 

To Jhesu most of myght, 
To bryng hys sowlle to the blysse of heven, 
Por he was a gentyll knyght. 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 

1. The Perse owt off Northombarlonde, 

and avowe to God mayd he 
That he wold hunte in the mowntayns 

off Chyviat within days thre, 
In the magger of doughte Dogles, 

and all that ever with him be. 

2. The fattiste hartes in all Cheviat 

he sayd he wold kyll, and cary them away : 
" Be my feth/' sayd the dongheti Doglas agayn, 
'' I wyll let that hontyng yf that I may." 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 65 

3. Then the Perse owt off Banborowe cam, 

with him a myghtee meany, 
With fifteen hondrith archares bold off blood and 
bone ; 
the wear chosen owt of shyars thre. 

4. This begane on a Monday at morn, 

in Cheviat the hillys so he ; 
The chylde may rue that ys unborn, 
it wos the more pitte. 

5. The dryvars thorowe the woodes went, 

for to reas the dear ; 
Bomen byckarte uppone the bent 
with ther browd aros cleare. 

6. Then the wyld thorowe the woodes went, 

on every syde shear ; 
Greahondes thorowe the grevis glent, 
for to kyll thear dear. 

7. This begane in Chy viat the hyls abone, 

yerly on a Monnyn-day ; 
Be that it drewe to the oware off none, 
a hondrith fat hartes ded ther lay. 

8. The blewe a mort uppone the bent, 

the semblyde on sydis shear ; 
To the quyrry then the Perse went, 
to se the bryttlynge off the deare. 

9. He sayd, ^Qt was the Duglas promys 

this day to met me hear ; 
But I wyste he wolde fay lie, verament ; " 
a great oth the Perse swear. 



56 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

10. At the laste a squyar off Northomberlonde 

lokyde at his hand full ny ; 
He was war a the doughetie Doglas commynge, 
with him a myghtte meany. 

11. Both with spear, bylle, and brande, 

yt was a myghtti sight to se ; 
Hardyar men, both off hart nor hande, 
wear not in Cristiante. 

12. The wear twenti hondrith spear-men good, 

withoute any f eale ; 
The wear borne along be the watter a Twyde, 
yth bowndes of Tividale. 

13. ^^ Leave of the brytlyng of the dear/' he sayd, 

" and to your boys lock ye tayk good hede ; 
For never sithe ye wear on your mothars borne 
had ye never so mickle nede.^' 

14. The dougheti Dogglas on a stede, 

he rode alle his men bef orne ; 
His armor glytteryde as dyd a glede ; 
a boldar barne was never born. 

15. " Tell me whos men ye ar/' he says, 

" or whos men that ye be : 
Who gave youe leave to hunte in this Chyviat chays, 
in the spyt of myn and of me.'' 

16. The first mane that ever him an answear mayd, 

yt was the good lord Perse : 
"We wyll not tell the whoys men we ar," he says, 

" nor whos men that we be ; 
But we wyll hounte hear in this chays, 

in the spyt of thyne and of the. 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 57 

17. " The fattiste hartes in all Chyviat 

we have kyld, and cast to carry them away : 
" Be my troth," sayd the doughete Dogglas agayn, 
'' therfor the ton of us shall de this day." 

18. . Then sayd the doughte Doglas 

unto the lord Perse : 
" To kyll alle thes giltles men, 
alas, it wear great pitte ! 

19. " But, Perse, thowe art a lord of lande, 

I am a yerle callyd within my contre ; 
Let all our men uppone a parti stande, 
and do the battell ofE the and of me." 

20. " Nowe Cristes cors on his crowne," sayd the lord Perse, 

" who-so-ever ther-to says nay ; 
Be my troth, doughtte Doglas," he says, 
" thow shalt never se that day. 

21. "Nethar in Ynglonde, Skottlonde, nar France, 

nor for no man of a woman born, 
But, and fortune be my chance, 
I dar met him, on man for on." 

22. Then bespayke a squyar off Northombarlonde, 

Eichard Wytharyngton was his nam : 
''' It shall never be told in Sothe- Ynglonde," he says, 
" to Kyng Herry the Fourth for sham. 



2:^. 



" I wat youe byn great lordes twaw, 

I am a poor squyar of lande : 
I wylle never se my captayne fight on a fylde, 

and stande my selffe and loocke on. 
But whylle I may my weppone welde, 

I wylle not fayle both hart and hande." 



58 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

24. That day, that day, that dredf nil day ! 

the first fit here I fynde ; 
And youe wyll here any raor a the hountyng a 
the Chyviat, 
yet ys ther mor behynde. 

25. The Yngglyshe men hade ther bowys yebent, 

ther hartes wer good yenoughe ; 
The first off arros that the shote off, 
seven skore spear-men the sloughe. 

26. Yet byddys the yerle Doglas uppon the bent, 

a captayne good yenoughe. 
And that was sene verament, 

for he wrought horn both woo and wouche. 

27. The Dogglas partyd his ost in thre, 

lyk a cheffe chef ten off pryde ; 
With suar spears off myghtte tre, 
the cum in on every syde : 

28. Thrughe our Yngglyshe archery 

gave many a wounde fuUe wyde ; 
Many a doughete the garde to dy, 
which ganyde them no pryde. 

29. The Ynglyshe men let ther boys be, 

and pulde owt brandes that wer brighte ; 
It was a hevy syght to se 

bryght swordes on basnites lyght. 

30. Thorowe ryche male and myneyeple, 

many sterne the strocke done streght ; 
Many a freyke that was fulle fre, 
ther undar foot dyd lyght. 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 59 

31. At last the Duglas and the Perse met, 

lyk to captayns of myght and of niayne; 
The swapte togethar tylle the both swat, 
with swordes that wear of fyn myllan. 

32. Thes worthe freckys for to fyght, 

ther-to the wear fulle fayne, 
Tylle the bloode owte off thear basnetes sprente, 
as ever dyd heal or rayn. 

33. " Yelde the, Perse,^' sayde the Doglas, 

" and i f eth I shalle the brynge 
Wher thowe shalte have a yerls wagis 
of Jamy our Skottish kynge. 

34. " Thou shalte have thy ransom f re, 

I hight the hear this thinge ; 
For the manfullyste man yet art thowe 
that ever I conqueryd in filde fighttynge.'^ 

35. ^^ Nay,'' say d the lord Perse, 

" I tolde it the bef orne. 
That I wolde never yeldyde be 
to no man of a woman born." 

36. With that ther cam an arrowe hastely, 

f orthe off a myghtte wane ; 
Hit hathe strekene the yerle Duglas 
in at the brest-bane. 

37. Thorowe lyvar and longes bathe 

The sharpe arrowe ys gane. 
That never after in all his lyffe-days 

he spayke mo wordes but ane : 
That was, ^^ Fyghte ye, my myrry men, whyllys ye 
may, 

for my lyff-days ben gan.'' 



60 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

38. The Perse leanyde on his brande, 
and sawe the Duglas de ; 
He tooke the dede mane by the hande, 
and sayd, " Wo ys me for the ! 

39o '^ To have savyde thy lyffe, I wolde have partyde 
with 
my landes for years thre, 
For a better man, of hart nare of hande, 
was nat in all the north contre." 

40. Off all that se a Skottishe knyght, 

was callyd Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry ; 
He sawe the Duglas to the deth was dyght, 
he spendyd a spear, a trusti tre. 

41. He rod uppone a corsiare 

throughe a hondrith archery : 
He never stynttyde, nar never blane, 
tylle he cam to the good lord Perse. 

42. He set uppone the lorde Perse 

a dynte that was full soare ; 
With a suar spear of a myghtte tre 

clean thorow the body he the Perse ber, 

43. A the tothar syde that a man myght se 

a large cloth-yard and mare : 
Towe bettar captayns wear nat in Cristiante 
then that day slan wear ther. 

44. An archar off Northomberlonde 

say slean was the lord Perse ; 
He bar a bende bowe in his hand, 
was made off trusti tre. 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 61 

45. An arow, that a cloth-yarde was lang, 

to the harde stele halyde he ; 
A dynt that was both sad and soar 

he sat on Ser Hewe the Monggombyrry. 

46. The dynt yt was both sad and sar, 

that he of Monggomberry sete ; 
The swane-fethars that his arrowe bar 
with his hart-blood the wear wete. 

47. Ther was never a freake wone foot wolde fle, 

but still in stour dyd stand, 
Heawyng on yche othar, whylle the myghte dre, 
with many a balfull brande. 

48. This battell begane in Chyviat 

an owar befor the none, 
And when even-songe bell was rang, 
the battell was nat half done. 

49. The tocke ... on ethar hande 

be the lyght off the mone ; 
Many hade no strenght for to stande, 
In Chyviat the hillys abon. 

50. Of fifteen hondrith archars of Ynglonde 

went away but seventi and thre ; 
Of twenti hondrith spear-men of Skotlonde, 
but even five and fifti. 

51. But all wear slayne Cheviat within ; 

the hade no strengthe to stand on hy ; 
The chylde may rue that ys unborne, 
it was the mor pitte. 



62 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

52. Thear was slayne, withe the lord Perse, 

Sir Johan of Agerstone, 
Ser Eogar, the hinde Hartly, 

Ser AYyllyam, the bolde Hearone. 

53. Ser Jorg, the worthe Loumle, 

a knyghte of great renowen, 
Ser Eaff, the ryche Engbe, 

with dyntes wear beaten dowene. 

54. For Wetharryngton my harte was wo, 

that ever he slayne shiilde be ; 
For when both his leggis wear hewyne in to, 
yet he knyled and fought on hys kny. 

55. Ther was slayne, with the dougheti Duglas, 

Ser Hewe the Monggonibyrry, 
Ser Davy Lwdale, that worthe was, 
his sistar's son was he. 

56. Ser Charls a Murre in that place, 

that never a foot wolde fle ; 
Ser Hewe Maxwelle, a lorde he was, 
with the Doglas dyd he dey. 

57. So on the morrowe the mayde them byears 

off birch and hasell so gray ; 
Many wedous, with wepyng tears, 
cam to fache ther makys away. 

58. Tivydale may carpe off care, 

ISTorthombarlond may mayk great mon. 
For towe such captayns as slayne wear thear, 
on the March-parti shall never be non. 



THE HUNTING OF THE CHEVIOT. 63 

59. Word ys commen to Eddenburrowe, 

to Jainy the Skottische kynge, 
That dougheti Duglas, lyff-tenant of the Marches, 
he lay slean Chy viot within. 

60. His handdes dyd he weal and wryng, 

he sayd, " Alas, and woe ys me ! 
Such an othar captayn Skotland within/' 
he sayd, " ye-f eth shuld never be." 

61. Worde ys commyn to lovly Londone, 

till the fourth Harry our kynge, 
That lord Perse, leyff-tenante of the Marchis, 
he lay slayne Chyviat within. 

62. " God have merci on his solle/' sayde Kyng Harry, 

" good lord, yf thy will it be ! 
I have a hondrith captayns in Ynglonde," he sayd, 

" as good as ever was he : 
But, Perse, and I brook my lyffe, 

thy deth well quyte shall be." 

63. As our noble kynge mayd his avowe, 

lyke a noble prince of renowen, 
For the deth of the lord Perse 

he dyde the battell of Hombyll-down ; 

64. Wher syx and thritte Skottishe knyghtes 

on a day wear beaten down : 
Glendale glytteryde on ther armor bryght, 
over castille, towar, and town. 

65. This was the hontynge off the Cheviat, 

that tear begane this spurn ; 
Old men that knowen the grownde well yenoughe 
call it the battell of Otterburn. 



64 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

66. At Otterburn begane this spume 

uppone a Monnyiiday ; 
Ther was the doughte Doglas slean, 
the Perse never went away. 

67. Ther was never a tym on the Marche-partes 

sen the Doglas and the Perse met, 
But yt ys mervele and the rede blude ronne not, 
as the reane doys in the stret. 

68. Jhesue Crist our balys bete, 

and to the blys us brynge ! 
Thus was the hountynge of the Chivyat : 
God send us alle good endyng ! 



SIE PATEICK SPENS. 

1. The king sits in Dumferling toune, 

Drinking the blude-reid wine : 
'^ whar will I get guid sailor, 
To sail this schip of mine ? '' 

2. Up and spak an eldern knicht. 

Sat at the kings richt kne : 
" Sir Patrick Spence is the best sailor, 
That sails upon the se." 

3. The king has written a braid letter, 

And signd it wi his hand, 
And sent it to Sir Patrick Spence, 
Was walking on the sand. 

4. The first line that Sir Patrick red, 

A loud lauch lauched he ; 
The next line that Sir Patrick red. 
The teir blinded his ee. 



SIR PATRICK SPENS. 65 

6. " wha is this has don this deid, 
This ill deid don to me, 
To send me out this time o' the yeir, 
To sail upon the se ! 

6. " Mak hast, mak haste, my mirry men all, 

Our guid schip sails the morne : '' 
" say na sae, my master deir. 
For I feir a deadlie storme. 

7. "Late late yestreen I saw the new moone, 

Wi the auld moone in hir arme. 
And I feir, I feir, my deir master. 
That we will cum to harme." 

8. our Scots nobles wer richt laith 

To weet their cork-heild schoone ; 
Bot lang owre a' the play wer playd, 
Thair hats they swam aboone. 

9. lang, lang may their ladies sit, 

Wi thair fans into their hand. 
Or eir they se Sir Patrick Spence 
Cum sailing to the land. 

10. lang, lang may the ladies stand, 

Wi thair gold kems in their hair, 
Waiting for thair ain deir lords. 
For they'll se thame na mair. 

11. Haf owre, haf owre to Aberdour, 

It's fiftie fadom deip. 
And thair lies guid Sir Patrick Spence, 
Wi the Scots lords at his feit. 



66 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 



JOHNIE AEMSTRONG. 

1. There dwelt a man in faire Westmerland, 

Jonne Armestrong men did him call, 
He had nither lands nor rents coming in, 
Yet he kept eight score men in his hall. 

2. He had horse and harness for them all. 

Goodly steeds were all milke-white ; . 
the golden bands an about their necks, 
And their weapons, they were all alike. 

3. Newes then was brought unto the king 

That there was sicke a won as hee. 
That lived lyke a bold out-law. 
And robbed all the north country. 

4. The king he writt an a letter then, 

A letter which w^as large and long ; 
He signed it with his owne hand, 

And he promised to doe him no wrong. 

5. When this letter came Jonne untill, 

His heart was as bly th as birds on the tree : 
" Never was I sent for before any king. 

My father, my grandfather, nor none but mee. 

6. ^^ And if wee goe the king before, 

I would we went most orderly ; 
Every man of you shall have his scarlet cloak, 
Laced with silver laces three. 

7. " Every won of you shall have his velvett coat, 

Laced with silver lace so white ; 
the golden bands an about your necks, 
Black hatts, white feathers, all alyke.'' 



JOHNIE ARMSTRONG. 67 

8. By the morrow morninge at ten of the clock, 

Towards Edenburough gon was hee, 
And with him all his eight score men ; 

Good lord, it was a goodly sight for to see ! 

9. When Jonne came bef ower the king, 

He fell downe on his knee ; 
" pardon, my soveraine leige," he said, 
" pardon my eight score men and mee.'' 

10. " Thou shalt have no pardon, thou traytor strong, 

For thy eight score men nor thee ; 
For to-morrow morning by ten of the clock. 

Both thou and them shall hang on the gallow-tree." 

11. But Jonne looked over his left shoulder. 

Good Lord, what a grevious look looked hee ! 
Saying, " Asking grace of a graceles face — 
Why there is none for you nor me." 

12. But Jonne had a bright sword by his side. 

And it was made of the mettle so free. 
That had not the king stept his foot aside. 
He had smitten his head from his faire bodde. 

13. Saying, " Fight on, my merry men all. 

And see that none of you be taine ; 
For rather than men shall say we were hangd. 
Let them report how we were slaine." 

14. Then, God wott, faire Eddenburrough rose, 

And so besett poore Jonne rounde. 
That fower score and tenn of Jonnes best men 
Lay gasping all upon the ground. 



68 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

15. Then like a mad man Jonne laide about, 

And like a mad man then fought hee, 
Untill a falce Scot came Jonne behinde, 
And runn him through the faire boddee. 

16. Saying, " Fight on, my merry men all, 

I am a little hurt, but I am not slain ; 
I will lay me down for to bleed a while, 
Then I'le rise and light with you again.'^ 

17. Newes then was brought to young Jonne Armestrong, 

As he stood by his nurses knee, 
Who vowed if ere he lived for to be a man, 
the treacherous Scots revengd hee'd be. 



THE TWA CORBIES. 

1. As I was walking all alane, 

I heard twa corbies making a mane ; 

The tane unto the t'other say, 

" Where sail we gang and dine to-day ? '' 

2. "In behint yon auld fail dyke, 

I wot there lies a new slain knight ; 
And naebody kens that he lies there. 
But his hawk, his hound, and lady fair. 

3. " His hound is to the hunting gane. 
His hawk to fetch the wild-fowl hame, 
His lady's ta'en another mate, 

So we may mak our dinner sweet. 

4. " Ye'll sit on his white hause-bane, 
And V\\ pike out his bonny blue een; 
Wi ae lock o his gowden hair 

We'll theek our nest when it grows bare. 



SIR HUGH. 69 

5. " Mony a one for him makes mane, 
But nane sail ken where he is gane ; 
Oer his white banes, when they are bare, 
The wind sail blaw for evermair." 



SIR HUGH. 

1. Four and twenty bonny boys 

Were playing at the ba, 
And by it came him sweet Sir Hugh, 
And he playd oer them a'. 

2. He kickd the ba with his right foot. 

And catchd it wi his knee. 
And throuch-and-thro the Jew's window 
He gard the bonny ba flee. 

3. He's doen him to the Jew's castell, 

And walkd it round about ; 
And there he saw the Jew's daughter 
At the window looking out. 

4. " Throw down the ba, ye Jew's daughter, 

Throw down the ba to me ! " 
" Never a bit," says the Jew's daughter, 
" Till up to me come ye." 

5. " How will I come up ? How can I come up ? 

How can I come to thee ? 
For as ye did to my auld father, 
The same ye'U do to me." 

6. She's gane till her father's garden. 

And pu'd an apple, red and green ; 
'Twas a' to wyle him sweet Sir Hugh, 
And to entice him in. 



70 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

7. She's led him in through ae dark door, 

And sae has she thro nine ; 
She's laid him on a dressing-table, 
And stickit him like a swine. 

8. And first came out the thick, thick blood, 

And syne came out the thin, 
And syne came out the bonny heart's blood ; 
There was nae mair within. 

9. She's rowd him in a cake o lead. 

Bade him lie still and sleep ; 
She's thrown him in Our Lady's draw-well. 
Was fifty fathom deep. 

10. When bells were rung, and mass was sung, 

And a' the bairns came hame. 
When every lady gat hame her son. 
The Lady Maisry gat nane. 

11. She's taen her mantle her about. 

Her coffer by the hand. 
And she's gane out to seek her son. 
And wander d oer the land. 

12. She's doen her to the Jew's castell. 

Where a' were fast asleep : 
" Gin ye be there, my sweet Sir Hugh, 
I pray you to me speak." 

13. She's doen her to the Jew's garden, 

Thought he had been gathering fruit : 
'' Gin ye be there, my sweet Sir Hugh, 
I pray you to me speak." 



THE BRAES O YARROW. 71 

14. She neard Our Lady's deep draw-well, 

Was fifty fathom deep : 
'^ Whareer ye be, my sweet Sir Hugh, 
I pray you to me speak.'' 

15. ^' Gae hame, gae hame, my mither dear, 

Prepare my winding sheet. 
And at the back o merry Lincoln 
The morn I will you meet." 

16. Now Lady Maisry is gane hame. 

Made him a winding sheet, 
And at the back o merry Lincoln 
The dead corpse did her meet. 

17. And a' the bells o merry Lincoln 

Without men's hands were rung, 
And a' the books o merry Lincoln 

Were read without man's tongue, 
And neer was such a burial 

Sin Adam's days begun. 



THE BRAES YAEEOW. 

1. I dreamed a dreary dream this night, 

That fills my heart wi sorrow ; 
I dreamed I was pouing the heather green 
Upon the braes of Yarrow. 

2. " true-luve mine, stay still and dine. 

As ye ha done before, ; " 
^^ I'll be hame by hours nine. 
And from the braes of Yarrow." 



72 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

3. I dreamed a dreary dream this night, 

That fills my heart wi sorrow ; 
I dreamed my luve came headless hame, 
frae the braes of Yarrow ! 

4. " true-luve mine, stay still and dine, 

As ye ha done before, ; '' 
'' I'll be hame by hours nine. 
And frae the braes of Yarrow/' 

5. " are ye going to hawke," she says, 

'•' As ye ha done before, ? 
Or are ye going to wield your brand, 
Upon the braes of Yarrow ? " 

6. ^^0 1 am not going to hawke," he says, 

'' As I have done before, 0, 
But for to meet your brother Jhon, 
Upon the braes of Yarrow." 

7. As he gade down yon dowy den. 

Sorrow went him before, ; 
Nine well-wight men lay waiting him, 
Upon the braes of Yarrow. 

8. '' I have your sister to my wife, 

' Ye ' think me an unmeet marrow ; 
But yet one foot will I never flee 
Now frae the braes of Yarrow." 

9. * Than ' four he killed and five did wound, 

That was an unmeet marrow ! 
' And he had weel nigh wan the day 
Upon the braes of Yarrow.' 



LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNEX. 73 

10. ' Bot ' a cowardly ' loon ' came him behind, 

Our lady lend him sorrow ! 
And wi a rappier pierced his heart, 
And laid him low on Yarrow.. 

11. ' Now Douglas ^ to his sister's gane, 

Wi meikle dule and sorrow : 
" Gae to your luve, sister/' he says, 
'' He's sleeping sound on Yarrow.'' 

12. As she went down yon dowy den 

Sorrow went her before, ; 
She saw her true-love lying slain 
Upon the braes of Yarrow. 

13. She swoond thrice upon his breist 

That was her dearest marrow ; 
Said, Ever alace and wae the day 
Thou wentst frae me to Yarrow. 

14. She kist his mouth, she kaimed his hair, 

As she had done before, ; 
She wiped the blood that trickled down 
Upon the braes of Yarrow. 

15. Her hair it was three quarters lang, 

It hang baith side and yellow ; 
She tied it round ' her ' white hause-bane, 
^ And tint her life on Yarrow.' 



LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET. 

1. Lord Thomas and Fair Annet 
Sate a' day on a hill ; 
Whan night was cum, and sun was sett, 
They had not talkt their fill. 



74 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

2. Lord Thomas said a word in jest, 

Fair Annet took it ill : 
'^ A, I will nevir wed a wife 
Against my ain friends' will.'^ 

3. ^^ Gif ye wull nevir wed a wife, 

A wife wull neir wed yee : " 
Sae he is hame to tell his mither, 
And knelt upon his knee. 

4. " rede, rede, mither/' he says, 

'' A gude rede gie to mee : 

sail I tak the nut-browne bride, 
And let Faire Annet bee ? '' 

6. " The nut-browne bride haes gowd and gear, 
Fair Annet she has gat nane ; 
And the little beauty Fair Annet haes, 
it wull soon be gane.'^ 

6. And he has till his brother gane : 

" Now, brother, rede ye mee ; 
A, sail I marrie the nut-browne bride. 
And let Fair Annet bee ? " 

7. '^ The nut-browne bride has oxen, brother. 

The nut-browne bride has kye : 

1 wad hae ye marrie the nut-browne bride. 
And cast Fair Annet bye." 

8. ^^ Her oxen may dye i the house, billie. 

And her kye into the byre. 
And I sail hae nothing to mysell, 
Bot a fat fadge by the fyre." 



LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNEX. 75 

9. And he has till his sister gane : 
" ISTow sister, rede ye mee ; 
sail I marrie the nut-browne bride, 
And set Fair Annet free ? '' 

10. '' Pse rede ye tak Fair Annet, Thomas, 

And let the browne bride alane ; 
Lest ye sould sigh, and say, Alace, 
What is this we brought hame ! '' 

11. " No, I will tak my mither's counsel. 

And marrie me owt o hand ; 
And I will tak the nut-browne bride ; 
Fair Annet may leive the land." 

12. Up then rose Fair Annet's father, 

Twa hours or it wer day. 

And he is gane into the bower 

Wherein Fair Annet lay. 

13. " Rise up, rise up, Fair Annet," he says, 

"Put on your silken sheene ; 

Let us gae to St. Marie's kirke. 

And see that rich weddeen." 

14. "My maides, gae to my dressing-roome, 

And dress to me my hair ; 
Whaireir yee laid a plait before, 
See yee lay ten times mair. 

15. " My maides, gae to my dressing-room. 

And dress to me my smock ; 
The one half is o the holland fine. 
The other o needle- work." 



76 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

16. The horse Fair Annet rade upon, 

He amblit like the wind ; 

Wi siller he was shod before, 

Wi burning gowd behind. 

17. Four and twanty siller bells 

Wer a' tyed till his mane, 
And yae tif t o the norland wind. 
They tinkled ane by ane. 

18. Four and twanty gay gude knichts 

Eade by Fair Annet's side, 

And four and twanty fair ladies. 

As gin she had bin a bride. 

19. And whan she cam to Marie's kirk. 

She sat on Marie's stean : 
The cleading that Fair Annet had on 
It skinkled in their een. 

20. And whan she cam into the kirk. 

She shimmered like the sun ; 
The belt that was about her waist. 
Was a' wi pearles bedone. 

21. She sat her by the nut-browne bride, 

And her een they wer sae clear, 
Lord Thomas he clean forgat the bride, 
Whan Fair Annet drew near. 

22. He had a rose into his hand, 

He gae it kisses three. 
And reaching by the nut-browne bride. 
Laid it on Fair Annet's knee. 



LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET. 77 

23. Up than spak the imt-browne bride, 

She spak wi meikle spite : 
" And whair gat ye that rose-water, 
That does mak yee sae white ? ^^ 

24. "01 did get the rose-water 

Whair ye wull neir get nane, 
For I did get that very rose-water 
Into my mither's wame." 

25. The bride she drew a long bodkin 

Frae out her gay head-gear, 
And strake Fair Annet unto the heart, 
That word spak nevir mair. 

26. Lord Thomas he saw Fair Annet wex pale, 

And marvelit what mote bee ; 
But whan he saw her dear hearths blude, 
A' wood-wroth wexed hee. 

27. He drew his dagger, that was sae sharp, 

That was sae sharp and meet. 
And drave it into the nut-browne bride, 
That fell deid at his f eit. 

28. "Now stay for me, dear Annet,'^ he sed, 

"' Now stay, my dear,^' he cry'd ; 
Then strake the dagger untill his heart. 
And fell deid by her side. 

29. Lord Thomas was buried without kirk-wa. 

Fair Annet within the quiere ; 
And o the tane thair grew a birk. 
The other a bonny briere. 



78 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

30. And ay they grew, and ay they threw, 
As they wad f aine be neare ; 
And by this ye may ken right well 
They were twa luvers deare. 



FAIE MAEGAEET AND SWEET WILLIAM. 

1. As it fell out on a long summer's day, 

Two lovers they sat on a hill ; 
They sat together that long summer's day, 
And could not talk their fill. 

2. '^ I see no harm by you, Margaret, 

Nor you see none by me ; 
Before to-morrow eight a clock 
A rich wedding shall you see." 

3. Fair Margaret sat in her bower- window, 

A combing of her hair, 
And there she spy'd Sweet William and his bride. 
As they were riding near. 

4. Down she layd her ivory comb, 

And up she bound her hair ; 
She went her way forth of her bower. 
But never more did come there. 

6. When day was gone, and night was come, 
And all men fast asleep, 
Then came the spirit of Fair Margaret, 
And stood at William's feet. 

6. ^^ God give you joy, you two true lovers. 
In bride-bed fast asleep ; 
Loe I am going to my green grass grave, 
And am in my Avinding-sheet." 



FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM. 79 

7. When day was come, and night was gone, 

And all men wak'd from sleep, 
Sweet William to his lady said, 
" My dear, I have cause to weep. 

8. ^^ I dreamed a dream, my dear lady ; 

Such dreams are never good ; 
I dreamed my bower was full of red s-wine, 
And my bride-bed full of blood." 

9. " Such dreams, such dreams, my honoured lord. 

They never do prove good, 
To dream thy bower was full of swine, 
And thy bride-bed full of blood.'' 

10. He called up his merry men all. 

By one, by two, and by three. 
Saying, '- I'll away to Fair Margaret's bower, 
By the leave of my lady." 

11. And when he came to Fair Margaret's bower. 

He knocked at the ring ; 
So ready was her seven brethren 
To let Sweet W^illiam in. 

12. He turned up the covering-sheet : 

" Pray let me see the dead ; 
Methinks she does look pale and wan, 
She has lost her cherry red. 

13. " I'll do more for thee, Margaret, 

Than any of thy kin ; 
For I will kiss thy pale wan lips, 
Tho a smile I cannot win." 



80 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

14. With that bespeak her seven brethren, 

Making most piteous moan : 
" You may go kiss your jolly brown bride, 
And let our sister alone.^' 

15. " If I do kiss my jolly brown bride, 

I do but what is right ; * 
For I made no vow to your sister dear, 
By day nor yet by night. 

16. '^ Pray tell me then how much you'll deal 

Of your white bread and your wine ; 
So much as is dealt at her funeral to-day 
To-morrow shall be dealt at mine.'' 

17. Fair Margaret dy'd to-day, to-day. 

Sweet William he dy'd the morrow ; 
Fair Margaret dy'd for pure true love. 
Sweet William he dy'd for sorrow. 

18. Margaret was buried in the lower chancel. 

Sweet William in the higher ; 
Out of her breast there sprung a rose. 
And out of his a brier. 

19. They grew as high as the church-top. 

Till they could grow no higher. 
And then they grew in a true lover's knot, 
Which made all people admire. 



SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST. 

There came a ghost to Margret's door, 
With many a grievous groan. 

And ay he tirled at the pin, 
But anst\rer made she none. 



SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST. 81 

2. " Is that my father Philip, 

Or is't my brother John ? 
Or is't my true-love, Willy, 
From Scotland new come home ? " 

3. "'Tis not thy father Philip, 

Nor yet thy brother John ; 
But 'tis thy true-love, Willy, 
From Scotland new come home. 

4. " sweet Margret, dear Margret, 

I pray thee speak to me ; 
Give me my faith and troth, Margret, 
As I gave it to thee." 

5. " Thy faith and troth thou's never get, 

Nor yet will I thee lend. 
Till that thou come within my bower, 
And kiss my cheek and chin." 

6. " If I shoud come within thy bower, 

I am no earthly man ; 
And shoud I kiss thy rosy lips. 
Thy days will not be lang. 

7. " sweet Margret, dear Margret, 

I pray thee speak to me ; 
Give me my faith and troth, Margret, 
As I gave it to thee." 

8. " Thy faith and troth thou's never get, 

Nor yet will I thee lend. 
Till you take me to yon kirk. 
And wed me with a ring." 



82 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

9. " My bones are buried in yon kirk-yard, 
Afar beyond the sea, 
And it is but my spirit, Margret, 
That's now speaking to thee." 

10. She stretched out her lilly-white hand, 

And, for to do her best, 
^' Hae, there's your faith and troth, Willy, 
God send your soul good rest." 

11. Now she has kilted her robes of green 

A piece below her knee. 
And a' the live-lang winter night 
The dead corp followed she. 

12. ^^ Is there any room at 3^our head, Willy ? 

Or any room at your feet ? 
Or any room at your side, Willy, 
Wherein that I may creep ? " 

13. '' There's no room at my head, Margret, 

There's no room at my feet ; 
There's no room at my side, Margret, 
My coffin's made so meet." 

14. Then up and crew the red, red cock, 

And up then crew the gray : 
^^ 'Tis time, 'tis time, my dear Margret, 
That you were going away." 

15. No more the ghost to Margret said. 

But, with a grievous groan 
Evanishd in a cloud of mist. 
And left her all alone. 



THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL. 83 

16. '' stay, my only true-love, stay/' 
The constant Margret cry'd ; 
Wan grew her cheeks, she closed her een, 
Stretched her soft limbs, and dy'd. 

THE WIFE OF USHER'S WELL. 

1. There lived a wife at Usher's Well, 

And a wealthy wife was she ; 
She had three stout and stalwart sons, 
And sent them oer the sea. 

2. They hadna been a week from her, 

A week but barely ane, 
When word came to the carline wife 
That her three sons were gane. 

3. They hadna been a week from her, 

A week but barely three, 
When word came to the carlin wife 
That her sons she'd never see. 

4. " I wish the wind may never cease, 

Nor fashes in the flood. 
Till my three sons come hame to me. 
In earthly flesh and blood." 

6. It fell about the Martinmass, 

When nights were lang and mirk, 
The carlin wife's three sons came hame, 
And their hats were o the birk. 

6. It neither grew in syke nor ditch. 
Nor yet in ony sheugh ; 
But at the gates o Paradise, 
That birk grew fair eneugh. 



84 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

7. ^^ Blow up the fire, my maidens ! 

Bring water from the well ! 
For a' my house shall feast this night, 
Since my three sons are well." 

8. And she has made to them a bed, 

She's made it large and wide. 
And she's ta'en her mantle her about, 
Sat down at the bed-side. 

9. Up then crew the red, red cock, 

And up and crew the gray ; 

The eldest to the youngest said, 

" 'Tis time we were away." 

10. The cock he hadna craw'd but once. 

And clappd his wings at a'. 
When the youngest to the eldest said, 
" Brother, we must awa. 

11. " The cock doth craw, the day doth daw, 

The channerin worm doth chide ; 
Gin we be mist out o our place, 
A sair pain we maun bide. 

12. "Fare ye weel, my mother dear! 

Fareweel to barn and byre ! 
And fare ye weel, the bonny lass 
That kindles my mother's fire ! " 

YOUNG WATEES. 

1. About Yule, when the wind blew cule, 
And the round tables began, 
A there is cum to our king's court 
Mony a well-favourd man. 



YOUNG WATERS. 85 

2. The queen luikt owre the castle-wa, 

Beheld baith dale and down, 
And then she saw Young Waters 
Cum riding to the town. 

3. His footmen they did rin before, 

His horsemen rade behind ; 

Ane mantel of the burning gowd 

Did keip him frae the wind. 

4. Gowden-graithd his horse before, 

And siller-shod behind ; 
The horse Young Waters rade upon 
Was fleeter than the wind. 

5. Out then spake a wylie lord, 

Unto the queen said he ; 
'' tell me wha's the fairest face 
Rides in the company ? '' 

6. '' IVe sene lord, and I've sene laird, 

And knights of high degree, 
But a fairer face than Young Waters 
Mine eyne did never see." 

7. Out then spack the jealous king. 

And an angry man was he : 
'' if he had been twice as fair. 
You micht have excepted me.'' 

8. "You're neither laird nor lord," she says, 

" Bot the king that wears the crown ; 
There is not a knight in fair Scotland 
Bot to thee maun bow down." 



86 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

9. For a' that she could do or say, 
Appeasd he wad nae bee, 
Bot for the words which she had said, 
Young Waters he maun dee. 

10. They hae taen Young Waters, 

And put fetters to his feet ; 
They hae taen Young Waters, 

And thrown him in dungeon deep. 

11. " Aft have I ridden thro Stirling town, 

In the wind bot and the weit ; 
Bot I neir rade thro Stirling town 
Wi fetters at my feet. 

12. " Aft have I ridden thro Stirling town, 

In the wind bot and the rain ; 
Bot I neir rade thro Stirling town 
Neir to return again.'' 

13. They hae taen to the heiding-hill 

His young son in his craddle, 
And they hae taen to the heiding-hill 
His horse bot and his saddle. 

14. They hae taen to the heiding-hill 

His lady fair to see. 
And for the words the queen had spoke 
Young Waters he did dee. 



EDWAED. 

" Why dois your brand sae drap wi bluid, 

Edward, Edward, 
Why dois your brand sae drap wi bluid, 
And why sae sad gang yee ? " 



EDWARD. 87 

^^0 1 hae killed my hauke sae guid, 

Mither, mither, 
I hae killed my hauke sae guid, 
And I had nae mair bot hee 0." 

2. " Your haukis bluid was nevir sae reid, 

Edward, Edward, 
Your haukis bluid was never sae reid, 

My deir son I tell thee 0.'' 
^^0 1 hae killed my reid-roan steid, 

Mither, mither, 
I hae killed my reid-roan steid, 

That erst was sae fair and frie 0." 

3. " Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair, 

Edward, Edward, 
Your steid was auld, and ye hae gat mair. 

Sum other dule ye drie 0." 
^^0 1 hae killed my fadir deir, 

Mither, mither, 
I hae killed my fadir deir, 
Alas, and wae is mee ! '^ 

4. '^ And whatten penance wul ye drie, for that, 

Edward, Edward, 
And whatten penance wul ye drie, for that ? 

My deir son, now tell me 0.'' * 
" He set my f eit in yonder boat, 

Mither, mither, 
He set my feit in yonder boat. 
And He fare ovir the sea 0." 

5. " And what wul ye doe wi your towirs and your ha, 

Edward, Edward, 
And what wul ye doe wi your towirs and your ha. 
That were sae fair to see ? " 



88 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

^^Ile let thame stand tul they doun fa, 

Mither, mither, 
He let thame stand tul they doun fa, 
For here nevir mair maun I bee 0.*' 

6. " And what wul ye leive to your bairns and your wife, 

Edward, Edward, 
And what wul ye leive to your bairns and your wife, 

Whan ye gang ovir the sea ? ^^ 
" The warldis room, late them beg thrae life, 

Mither, mither, 
The warldis room, late them beg thrae life, 
For thame nevir mair wul I see 0." 

7. ^^And what wul ye leive to your ain mither dear, 

Edward, Edward, 
And what wul ye leive to your ain. mither dear ? 

My deir son, now tell me 0.'^ 
" The curse of hell frae me sail ye beir, 

Mither, mither, 
The curse of hell frae me sail ye beir, 
Sic counseils ye gave to me 0.^' 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 

" Be it ryght or wrong, these men among 

On women do complayne, 
Affyrmynge this, how that it is 

A labour spent in vayne 
To love them wele, for never a dele 

They love a man agayne : 
For late a man do what he can 

Theyr favour to attayne. 
Yet yf a newe do them persue, 

Theyr first true lover than 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 89 

Laboureth for nought, for from her thought 
He is a banyshed man." 

2. " I say nat nay, but that all day 

It is bothe writ and sayd, 
That womans faith is, as who sayth, 

All utterly decayd ; 
But neverthelesse, ryght good wytnesse 

In this case might be layd. 
That they love true, and continue : 

Eecorde the Not-browne Mayde ; 
Which, when her love came, her to prove, 

To her to inake his mone, 
Wolde nat depart, for in her hart 

She loved but hym alone." 

3. " Than betwaine us late us dyscus 

What was all the manere 
Betwayne them two ; we wyll also 

Tell all the payne and fere 
That she was in. Nowe I begyn, 

So that ye me answere : 
Wherefore all ye that present be, 

I pray you gyve an ere. 
I am the knyght, I come by nyght. 

As secret as I can, 
Sayinge, ' Alas ! thus standeth the case, 

I am a banyshed man.' " 

SHE. 

4. " And I your wyll for to fulfyll 

In this wyll nat refuse, 
Trusty in g to she we, in wordes fewe. 

That men have an yll use 
(To theyr own shame), women to blame. 

And causelesse them accuse : 



90 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

Therfore to you I answere iiowe, 

All women to excuse^ — 
' Myne owne hart dere, with you what chere ? 

I pray you tell anone : 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.' '' 

HE. 

6. " It standeth so : a dede is do 

Wherof grete harme shall growe. 
My destiny is for to dy 

A shamefull deth, I trowe, 
Or elles to fie : the one must be : 

None other way I knowe, 
But to withdrawe as an outlawe, 

And take me to my bowe. 
Wherfore, adue, my owne hart true, 

None other rede I can ; 
Eor I must to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man.'' 

SHE. 

6. " Lord, what is thys worldys blysse 

That changeth as the mone ! 
My somers day in lusty May 

Is derked before the none. 
I here you say farewell : Nay, nay, 

We depart nat so sone. 
Why say ye so ? wheder wyll ye go ? 

Alas, what have ye done ? 
All my welfare to sorrowe and care 

Sholde chaunge, yf ye were gone : 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.'' 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 91 



HE. 

7. ^^ I can beleve it shall you greve, 

And somewhat you dystrayne ; 
But aftyrwarde your paynes harde, 

Within a day or twayne, 
Shall sone aslake, and ye shall take 

Comfort to you agayne. 
Why sholde ye ought ? for, to make thought 

Your labour were in vayne : 
And thus I do, and pray you to, 

As hartely as I can : 
For I must to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 

SHE. 

8. " Now syth that ye have shewed to me 

The secret of your mynde, 
I shall be playne to you agayne, 

Lyke as ye shall me fynde : 
Syth it is so that ye wyll go, 

I wolle not leve behynde ; 
Shall never be sayd the Not-browne Mayd 

Was to her love unkynde. 
Make you redy, for so am I, 

Allthough it were anone ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone. '^ 

HE. 

9. " Yet I you rede to take good hede 

What men wyll thynke, and say ; 
Of yonge and olde it shall be tolde, 
That ye be gone away 



92 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

Your wanton wyll for to fulfill, 

In grene wode you to play ; 
And that ye myght from your delyght 

No lenger make delay. 
Eather than ye sholde thus for me 

Be called an yll woman. 
Yet wolde I to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 



SHE. 

10. " Though it be songe of old and yonge 

That I sholde be to blame, 
Theyrs be the charge that speke so large 

In hurtynge of my name. 
For I wyll prove that faythfuUe love 

It is devoyd of shame. 
In your dystresse and hevynesse. 

To part with you the same ; 
And sure all tho that do not so. 

True lovers are they none ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone." 



HE. 

11. '' I counceyle you remember howe 

It is no maydens lawe, 
Nothynge to dout, but to renne out 

To wode with an outlawe. 
For ye must there in your hand bere 

A bowe, redy to drawe, 
And as a thefe thus must you lyve, 

Ever in drede and awe ; 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 93 

Wherby to you grete harme myght growe ; 

Yet had I lever than 
That I had to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man.'' 



SHE. 

12. " I thinke nat nay ; but, as ye say, 

It is no may dens lore ; 
But love may make me for your sake, 

As I have sayd before. 
To come on fote, to hunt and shote 

To gete us mete in store ; 
For so that I your company 

May have, I aske no more ; 
From which to part, it maketh my hart 

As colde as ony stone : 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.'' 



HE. 

13. '' For an outlawe this is the lawe, 

That men hym take and bynde, 
Without pyte hanged to be. 

And waver with the wynde. 
If I had nede, (as God forbede !), 

What rescous could ye fynde ? 
Forsoth, I trowe, ye and your bowe 

For fere wolde drawe behynde : 
And no mervayle ; for lytell avayle 

Were in your counceyle than ; 
Wherefore I wyll to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 



94 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 



SHE. 

14. ^^ KygM wele knowe ye that women be 

But feble for to fygbt ; 
No womanhede it is indede, 

To be bolde as a knyght. 
Yet in such fere yf that ye were, 

With enemy es day or nyght, 
I wolde withstande, with bowe in hande, 

To greve them as I myght, 
And you to save, as women have, 

From deth ' men ^ many one : 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone." 

HE. 

15. " Yet take good hede ; for ever I drede 

That ye coude nat sustayne 
The thornie wayes, the depe valeies, 

The snowe, the frost, the rayne, 
The colde, the hete ; for, dry or wete, 

We must lodge on the playne ; 
And us above none other rofe 

But a brake bush or twayne, 
Which sone sholde greve you, I beleve, 

And ye wolde gladly than 
That I had to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 

SHE. 

16. " Syth I have here bene partynere 

With you of joy and blysse, 
I must also parte of your wo 
Endure, as reson is ; 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 96 

Yet am I sure of one plesure, 

And shortely, it is this : 
That where ye be, me semeth, parde, 

I coude nat fare amysse. 
Without more speche, I you beseche 

That we were sone agone ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.'' 



HE. 

17. ^^ If ye go thyder, ye must consyder 

When ye have lust to dyne, 
There shall no mete be for you gete, 

Nor drinke, here, ale, ne wyne ; 
Ne shetes clene to lye betwene, 

Made of threde and twyne ; 
None other house but leves and bowes 

To cover your hed and myne. 
myne harte swete, this evyll dyete 

Sholde make you pale and wan : 
Wherfore I wyll to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 



SHE. 

18. " Among the wylde dere such an archere 

As men say that ye be 
Ne may nat fayle of good vitayle, 

Where is so grete plente ; 
And water clere of the ryvere 

Shall be full swete to me, 
With which in hele I shall ryght wele 

Endure, as ye shall see ; 



96 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

And or we go, a bedcle or two 

I can provyde anone ; 
For in mj mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone. '^ 



HE. 



19. ^^Lo, yet before, ye must do more, 

Yf ye wyll go with me, 
As cut you here up by your ere, 

Your kyrtel by the kne ; 
With bowe in hande, for to withstande 

Your enemyes, yf nede be ; 
And this same nyght, before day-lyght, 

To wode-warde wyll I fle ; 
Yf that ye wyll all this fulfill. 

Do it shortely as ye can : 
Els wyll I to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man.'^ 



SHE. 

20. ^^I shall as no we do more for you 

Than longeth to womanhede, 
To shorte my here, a bow to here. 

To shote in tyme of nede. 
my swete mother, before all other, 

For you I have most drede ! 
But nowe, adue ! I must ensue 

Where fortune doth me lede. 
All this mark ye ; now let us fle ; 

The day cometh fast upon ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone." 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 97 



HE. 

21. " Nay, nay, nat so ; ye shall not go ; 

And I shall tell ye why ; — 
You appetyght is to be lyght 

Of love, I wele espy : 
For lyke as ye have sayed to me, 

In lyke wyse, hardely. 
Ye wolde answere, whosoever it were. 

In way of company. 
It is sayd of olde, Sone hote, sone colde, 

And so is a woman ; 
Wherefore I to the wode wyll go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 

SHE. 

22. " Yf ye take hede, it is no nede 

Such wordes to say by me ; 
For oft ye prayed, and longe assayed. 

Or I you loved, parde. 
And though that I, of auncestry 

A barons daughter be. 
Yet have you proved howe I you loved, 

A squyer of lowe degre ; 
And ever shall, whatso befall, 

To dy therf ore anone ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone." 

HE. 

23. ^' A barons chylde to be begylde, 

It were a cursed dede ! 
To be felawe with an outlawe 
Almighty God forbede ! 



98 OLD ENGLISH BALLADS. 

Yet beter were the pore squyere 

Alone to forest yede, 
Than ye sholde say another day. 

That by my cursed dede 
Ye were betrayed ; wherf ore, good mayd, 

The best rede that I can 
Is that I to the grene wode go 

Alone, a banyshed man.'^ 



SHE. 

24. ^^ Whatever befall, I never shall 

Of this thyng you upbrayd ; 
But yf ye go, and leve me so, 

Than have ye me be tray d. 
Remember you wele, howe that ye dele, 

For yf ye, as ye sayd. 
Be so unkynde to leve behynde 

Your love, the Not-browne Mayd, 
Trust me truly, that I shall dy, 

Sone after ye be gone ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.'^ 



HE. 

25. " Yf that ye went, ye sholde repent, 

For in the forest nowe 
I have purvayed me of a mayd. 

Whom I love more than you : 
Another fayrere than ever ye were, 

I dare it wele avowe ; 
And of you bothe eche sholde be wrothe 

With other, as I trowe. 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 99 

It were myne ese to ly ve in pese ; 

So wyll I, yf I can ; 
Wherf ore I to the wode wyll go 

Alone, a banyshed man." 



SHE. 

26. ^^ Though in the wode I undyrstode 

Ye had a paramour, 
All this may nought remove my thought, 

But that I wyll be your ; 
And she shall fynde me soft and kynde, 

And courteys every hour, 
Glad to fulfyll all that she wyll 

Commaunde me, to my power ; 
Eor had ye, lo, an hundred mo, 

' Of them I wolde be one.' 
For in my mynd, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone.'' 



HE. 

27. " Myne own dere love, I se the prove 

That ye be kynde and true ; 
Of mayde and wyfe, in all my lyfe 

The best that ever I knewe. 
Be mery and glad, be no more sad. 

The case is chaunged newe ; 
For it were ruthe, that for your truthe 

Ye sholde have cause to rewe. 
Be nat dismayed : whatsoever I sayd 

To you, whan I began, 
I wyll nat to the grene wode go ; 

I am no banyshed man." 

L.ofC. 



100 OLD EISIGLISH BALLADS. 



SHE. 

28. " These tydings be more gladd to me 

Than to be made a quene, 
Yf I were sure they sholde endure ; 

But is often sene, 
Whan men wyll breke promyse, they speke 

The wordes on the splene. 
Ye shape some wyle me to begyle, 

And stele from me, I wene ; 
Than were the case worse than it was. 

And I more wo-begone ; 
For in my mynde, of all mankynde 

I love but you alone." 

HE. 

29. " Ye shall nat nede further to drede : 

I wyll nat dy spar age 
You, (God defend !) syth ye descend 

Of so grete a lynage. 
Now undyrstande, to Westmarlande, 

Which is myne herytage, 
I wyll you bry nge, and with a rynge, 

B}^ way of maryage, 
I wyll you take, and lady make, 

As shortely as I can : 
Thus have you Avon an erlys son, 

And not a banyshed man." 

AUTHOR. 

30. Here may ye se, that women be 

In love meke, kynde, and stable : 
Late never man reprove them than, 
Or call them variable : 



THE NUT-BROWN MAID. 101 

But rather pray God that we may 

To them be comfortable, 
Which sometyme proveth such as he loveth, 

Yf they be charytable. 
For syth men wolde that women sholde 

Be meke to them each one, 
Moche more ought they to God obey, 

And serve but hym alone. 



NOTES. 



ROBIN HOOD AND- THE MONK. 

Robin Hood's hold on the affection of his countrymen is shown by 
the large number of ballads of which he is the hero. It is impossible 
to determine just at what time he became the subject of popular song, 
but that it must have been some time before the latter part of the 
fourteenth century is shown by the fact that the author of "The 
Vision of Piers Plowman" (1377) speaks of the popularity of 
" Rymes of Robyn Hood and Randolf, erle of Chestre " (B. passus Y. 
401 f.). 

The most significant of the Robin Hood ballads that have been pre- 
served is " A Gest of Robyn Hode," consisting of eight fyttes, which 
are, doubtless, several ballads put together by some minstrel. Possibly 
we have here an epic in the making. The following is a brief sum- 
mary of the " Gest " : — 

First fytte : Robin lends four hundred pounds, with the Virgin as 
security, to a knight, whose lands are held for that sum by the abbot 
of Saint Mary Abbey. 

Second fytte : The knight recovers his land, and, staying at home 
till he gets four hundred pounds, sets out to repay Robin ; but tarries 
by the way to see a wrestling. 

Third fytte : Little John, under an assumed name, takes service 
with the Sheriff of Nottingham, and delivers him into the hands of 
Robin Hood. 

Fourth fytte : A monk is forced to dine with Robin, and after din- 
ner is relieved of eight hundred pounds. Robin is delighted to learn 
that the monk belongs to Saint Mary Abbey, for he knows now that 
the Virgin has paid, and doubled, the sum lent on her security. The 
knight shortly after appears, and is anxious to return the money, but 
Robin declares that the debt is discharged. 

Fifth fytte : Robin wins the prize at a contest in archery ; but is 
recognized by the Sheriff of Nottingham and has to take refuge with 
a knight whom he has befriended. 

Sixth fytte : The sheriff complains in person to the king, who 
vows that he will come to Nottingham himself. Robin in the mean- 

103 



104 NOTES. 

time escapes, but on learning that his protector has been captured, 
returns to Nottingham, kills the sheriff, and rescues the knight. 

Seventh fytte : The king, in the habit of a monk, goes to the 
greenwood ; but Robin recognizes him and prays for grace. He and 
his men are pardoned. 

Eighth fytte : Robin enters the king's service, but tires of it and 
returns to the greenwood. 

"Robin Hood's Death," a separate ballad, tells that, being sick, 
Robin goes to Kirkley priory to be let blood, where he is betrayed 
by the prioress and slain. 

Whether there ever lived a Robin Hood, the outlaw of the ballads, 
no man knows. Professor Child i came to the conclusion that he is 
"absolutely a creation of the ballad-muse.'' He stands for all who 
had gone to the greenwood for such a life as he led. Brandl, referring 
to the Robin Hood ballads, says there is nothing historical in them but 
the Stimmung (keynote) viz. : the indignation of the English com- 
mon folk over the servile condition of the clergy and of the officers of 
the king ; the wrath of Langland and Wiclif against the power of the 
priestly class ; and the communistic spirit of Wat Tyler and Jack 
Cade. Robin Hood was "the hero of the commons as King Arthur 
of the higher classes. ... He reflects the popular character. . . . 
He is open-handed, brave, merciful, given to archery and venery, 
good-humored, jocular, loyal, woman-protecting, priestcraft-hating, 
Mary-loving, God-fearing, somewhat rough withal, caring little for the 
refinements of life, and fond of a fight above all things. . . . Besides 
the one of which we have spoken {i.e. the ideal champion of the 
people's cause), there were two other respects in which Robin Hood 
was dear to the English people, viz.., as the great archer and as the 
great f oreste. ' ' ^ 

For Robin Hood in modern literature, see Scott : "Ivanhoe," and 
Tennyson: " The Foresters. " 

" Robin Hood and the Monk" is one of the oldest and best of the 
Robin Hood ballads. "Too much could not be said in praise of this 
ballad, but nothing need be said. It is very perfection in its kind." 
— Child, III. 95. 

Stanza 6, lines 3-4. "What bright, healthful happiness in a May 
Morning ! ' Oh evil day if I were sullen ! ' says with all his heart 
this outlaw of the fourteenth century. No wonder if Robin Hood 
came to be the type of such happiness." — Furnivall. 

1 " English and Scottish Popular Ballads," HI. 42. 

2Hales & Furnivall: *' Bishop Percy's Folio Manuscript," II. 1). 



NOTES. 105 

Stanza 7, line 4. Observe Kobin Hood's devotion to the Virgin. 
Cf. '' Guy of Gisborne," stanza 40, line 1. 

Stanza 8, lines 5-6. One that dare not await twelve would slay 
thee (alone). 

Stanza 10, line 3. " Shete a penny." Shoot for a penny. 

Stanza 11, line 4. Will give odds of three to one. 

Stanza 15, line 2. "By." For "aby," atone for. 

Stanza 22, lines 3-4. It is owing to thee, thy fault, if he escape from 
us. 

Stanza 25, line 2. With a great abundance of staves. 

Stanza 30. We must understand that the part omitted tells that 
the news of Robin's capture is brought to his band. 

Stanza 31, line 1. "In swonyng." In swooning, a-swooning. 
What part of speech is swonyng here? Compare with "He went 
a- fishing.'''' 

Stanza 32, line 1. " Let be your rule." Cease your noisy behavior. 

Stanza 38, lines 2-3. And looked on the house of Much's uncle that 
lay full near the highway. 

Stanza 39, line 2. " At a stage." From a floor, story. — Child. 

Stanza 43, line 2. " Marke." Two-thirds of a pound. 

Stanza 50, line 2. "In hye." In haste. 

Stanza 56, line 2 ; stanza 87, line 2. "So mot I the." So may I 
thrive. • 

Stanza 58, line 4. "Agayn." Back. Cf. " rose a^am from the dead." 

Stanza 60, line 1. "At." Of, from. 

Stanza 60, line 3. "Next." Nearest. 

Stanza QQ^ line 1. To whom does He refer ? 

Stanza 72, line 3. " There as." Where. 

Stanza 73, line 1. " Be that." By that time, then. 

Stanza 80, line 4. No other care I to be. 

Stanza 83, line 4. To whom does hym refer ? 



EOBIN HOOD AND GUY OF GISBOENE. 

Professor Gummere calls attention to the number of alliterative and 
proverbial phrases in this ballad. 

Stanza 1, line 1. " Shradds." Coppices. — Child, quoting Halliwell. 
Stanza 2, line 2. "Alyne." On linden. 

Stanza 3. The lost lines probably give an account of Robin's dream. 
Stanza 10, line 1. "Cunning." Craft, skill. 



106 NOTES. 

Stanza 10, line 2. "And." If. 

Stanza 11, line 3. " Barnsdale, Robin Hood's haunt in the ' Gest,' is 
a woodland region in the West Riding of Yorkshire. . . . There were 
evidently at one time a Barnsdale cycle and a Sherwood cycle of 
Robin Hood ballads." — Child. For Sherwood, see *' Robin Hood 
and the Monk," stanza 16, line 3. 

Stanza 14, line 2. "Christ his." A corruption of the genitive, 
Christ's. 

Stanza 16, line 1. "Woe worth thee." Woe be to thee. Cf., Scott's 
" Lady of the Lake," I. ix., 

" Woe worth the chase, woe worth the day." * 

Stanza 27, line 4. " Unsett Steven." Time not fixed. 

Stanza 39, line 2. "Mother and may." The Virgin Mary. May 
= maid. 

Stanza 40, line 3. " Awkwarde." In the wrong direction, unusual, 
unexpected. (Backhanded. — Child. ) 

Stanza 42, lines 3-4. So that no one born of woman could tell who 
Sir Guy e was. 

Stanza 43, line 1. "Saies." Says. 

Stanza 44, line 1 . " Did off." Put off. 

Stanza 44, line 2. Robin threw the gown on Sir Guy. 

Stanza 56, line 2. "Rawstye by the roote." "Rusty, soiled, foul 
(with blood) at the end (?)." — Child. 

Let the student make a list of all the proverbial phrases. 

THE BATTLE OF OTTERBURN. 

The fight between Douglas and Percy (Shakespeare's Harry Hot- 
spur), which this ballad has made famous, is described at length in 
the "Chronicles of Froissart" (Globe Edition, Macmillan, p. 372). 
The account may be summarized briefly as follows : — 

On hearing of an intended invasion of England by the Scots, the 
Earl of Northumberland and his sons sent spies to find out, if possible, 
the plans of the coming invaders ; and by this means it was learned 
that the barons and knights of Scotland would assemble at Jedburgh, 
near the Border, about the middle of August (1388), and move from 
that point into England. 

The English set about to make a counter invasion as the best means 
of foiling the Scots, who, on learning of this, through a captured Eng- 
lish spy, divided their force, sending the main body of the army 



NOTES. 107 

toward Carlisle under the command of Archibald Douglas, the Earl 
of Fife, and many other nobles. The smaller force, commanded by- 
James, Earl of Douglas, entered Northumberland, and moving straight 
to Durham, began a return march of devastation to Newcastle, where 
the English had gathered under Henry and Ralph Percy, sons of the 
Earl of Northumberland. 

In one of the many skirmishes around Newcastle, Douglas captured 
Henry Percy's pennon, and declared that he would take it to Scotland 
and set it on his castle at Dalkeith. Percy swore that his pennon 
should never be taken out of England by a Scot. ''Well, sir," said 
Douglas, "come this night to my lodging and seek for your pennon ; 
I shall set it before my lodging and see if you will come to take it 
away." But Percy was persuaded not to attack that night, and the 
next day the Scots returned toward their own country, stopping to 
besiege a castle at Otterburn, and, by request of Douglas, to allow 
Percy a chance to recover his lost pennon. 

The English had held Percy back, believing that the Scots under 
Douglas were only the advance of a much larger force ; but by means 
of spies it was learned that Douglas was not supported, and that he 
had only about three thousand soldiers, a much smaller force than the 
English, who numbered six hundred spears and eight thousand foot- 
soldiers. 

" Sirs," cried Percy, joyfully, " let us leap on our horses, for by the 
faith I owe to God, and to my lord my father, I will go seek for my 
pennon and dislodge them this same night." Percy's men were now 
as anxious for the fray as he was, and they were soon at Otterburn, 
where with the cry, "Percy, Percy," they fell upon their enemies. 
The Scots, however, in anticipation of this attack, had encamped 
behind their servants, who offered some slight resistance to the Eng- 
lish, enough, however, to allow Douglas and his men time to arm. 
They then moved around a small hill, and with the cry, "Douglas, 
Douglas," fell upon the rear of the English. But Percy was fighting 
for revenge, and the Scots were driven back. 

Douglas, seeing that the fight was going against him, seized his ax 
in both hands and opened up a way to the front, but was finally struck 
down, falling under the blows of three spears, — one in the shoulder, 
another in the breast, and a third in the thigh. As it was night, the 
English did not know who the fallen Scot was, but struck him in the 
head with an ax and passed on. A few of Douglas's kinsmen were 
around him, and Sir John Sinclair asked him how he did. " Right 
evil, cousin," replied the earl, "but thanked be God there hath been 



108 NOTES. 

but a few of mine ancestors that hath died in their beds : but, cousin, 
I require you to revenge me. . . . My cousin Walter and you, I pray 
you raise up again my banner which lieth on the ground . . . ; but, 
sirs, show neither to friend nor foe in what case you see me in." The 
two Sinclairs and Sir James Lindsay raised up the banner, and with 
the cry, "Douglas, Douglas," gave such courage to those who lagged 
behind, that the English were finally driven back. In a hand-to-hand 
conflict with Montgomery, Henry Percy was overcome and made 
prisoner. 

The losses of the English, according to Froissart, were eighteen 
hundred and sixty killed, one thousand wounded, and one thousand 
and forty captured ; of the Scots one hundred killed and two hundred 
captured. 

After the fight the Scots retired to Melrose Abbey, where the body 
of Douglas was buried and his banner raised above it. 

Froissart says his account is based upon facts obtained from knights 
of both sides who were present at the fight. Observe how the ballad 
favors the English in the statement of numbers engaged and slain : of 
forty-four thousand Scots, eighteen went away ; of nine thousand 
English, five hundred came away. 

Otterburn is about thirty miles northwest of Newcastle, in Reeds- 
dale, says Professor Hales,i "some fifteen miles and more from the 
Border line." 

Stanza 1, line 1. "Lamasse." Lammas, the first day of August. 

Stanza 2, line 1. The Earl of Fife, the king's son, was with the 
party that went to Carlisle. 

Stanza 3. These places, says Percy, are well known in North- 
umberland. " Hoppertope " = Ottercap ; "Green Lynton" = Green 
Ley ton, a small village in the parish of Hartburn. 

Stanza 5, line 2. " Colde." Can this be a pun ? 

Stanza 8, line 4. "Barwyke." Berwick. 

Stanza 9, line 2. " On hyght." Aloud. 

Stanza 15, line 3. " Or I com the tyll." Before I come to thee. 

Stanza 19, line 2. " Gettyng." Booty. 

Stanza 24, line 4. ' ' Give me my dinner, my fill, beat me thoroughly." 
— Child. 

Stanza 25, line 2. To see if it were false. 

Stanza 27, line 4. "To." Two. 

Stanza 28, line 1. Swynton, a fair field for your pride. 

1 '' Folia Litteraria," p. 132. 



NOTES. 109 

Stanza 29, line 3. "Can he crye." He cried. Can for gan with 
infinitive to make past tense. 

Stanza 32, line 4. " Schoote hys horsse clene awaye." Discarded, 
sent off his horse. 

Stanza 33, line 4. And alighted (took their stand) round about him 
(Percy). 

Stanza 42, line 1. "Rynde." Elayed. "Rynde should perhaps 
be riven.'''' — Child. 

Stanzas 45, 46. "The arms of Douglas are pretty accurately em- 
blazoned in the former stanza, especially if the readings were, The 
crowned harte, and Above stode starres thre, it would be minutely 
exact at this day. As for the Percy family, one of their ancient badges 
or cognizances was a ivhite lyon^ statant ; and the silver crescent con- 
tinues to be used by them to this day : they also give three luces argent 
for one of their quarters." — Percy. 

Stanza 47, line 3. "Merked them one (on)." "Took their aim 
at." — Child. 

Stanza 56, line 3. " Cowde him smyte." Was able to smite him. 
" Cowde " not an auxiliary. 

Stanza 67, line 4. Their mates (husbands) they fetched away. 

Stanza 69, line 4. Was exchanged for Percy. 

THE HU:^TmG OF THE CHEVIOT. 

"I never heard the olde song of Percy and Douglas that I found 
not my heart mooved more then with a trumpet." — Sir Philip Sidney. 
In stanza 65 of this ballad, we are told that — 

" Old men that knowen the grounde well yenoughe 
Call it the battell of Otterburn." 

On account of this statement, and of the many coincidences in the 
two ballads, "The Battle of Otterburn" and "The Hunting of the 
Cheviot," it has been generally accepted that both ballads are based 
upon the same occurrence. Professor Child (III. 304) says: "The 
agreement to meet in stanza 9 (Cheviot) corresponds with the plight 
in Otterburn, stanza 16 ; stanza 17, line 4, corresponds to Otterburn, 
stanza 12, line 4, stanza 30, line 4; stanzas 47, 56, 57, are the same as 
Otterburn, 58, 61, 67 ; 31, 32, m, are variants of Otterburn, 51, 52, 
68; Douglas's summons to Percy to yield, Percy's refusal, and 
Douglas's death, stanza 33, line 1, stanzas 35-37, line 2, may be a 
variation of Otterburn, stanza 51, line 3, stanzas 55-56 ; Sir John of 



110 NOTES. 

Agarstone is slain with Percy in stanza 52, and with Douglas in Otter- 
burn in stanza 60 ; Sir Hugh Montgomery appears in both. 

" The differences in the story of the two ballads, though not trivial, 
are still not so material as to forbid us to hold that both may be 
founded on the same occurrence, ' The Hunting of the Cheviot ' being 
of course the later version, and following in part its own tradition, 
though repeating some portions of the older ballad." 

In spite of the many agreements, however, Professor Hales,i after 
a careful review of both ballads, reaches the conclusion that they do 
not "commemorate one and the same event," but " are connected 
with different localities, are based upon different incidents, and repre- 
sent different features in the old Border life." 

Speaking more particularly. Professor Hales says: "To sum up 
these remarks on the Otterburn pieces : they deal with a famous 
'Warden's Paid,' the details of which are precisely known, and are 
recorded in these ballads with as much exactness as can reasonably be 
expected. In this case Douglas is the aggressor. The locality of the 
final struggle is in Reedsdale ; the time a Wednesday night and 
Thursday morning, as we are specially informed. The result is the 
captivity of Percy and the death of Douglas. . . . Now, in ' The 
Hunting of the Cheviot,' it is not a raid, but a great hunting expedi- 
tion, that is the theme. Percy is the aggressor, and not Douglas ; the 
struggle does not take place in Reedsdale, nor anywhere in England, 
but in Scotland, across, though close by, the frontier. The day was a 
Monday, and before the moon rose, as we are specially informed, and 
the result is the death of both Percy and Douglas. Finally, this bal- 
lad, if based at all upon any special historical occurrence, allows itself 
the utmost freedom of treatment; whereas the Otterburn ballads, as 
we have seen, adhere to the facts with fair precision." 

There are two versions of this ballad, the older, the one used here, 
being much superior to the more modern version. Addison (Specta- 
tor, 70), who knew only the later form, says, "The old song of 
Chevy Chase is the favourite ballad of the common people in England ; 
and Ben Jonson used to say he had rather have been the author of it 
than of all his works." 

Stanza 1, line 2. " And avowe " = an avow = a vow. 
Stanza 1, line 5. "In the magger." In spite of. Cf. O.Fr. maugr^. 
Stanza 3, line 4. "By the ' shyars three ' is probably meant three 
districts in Northumberland, which still go by the name of shires, 

1 ''Folia Litteraria," pp. 128 f. 



NOTES. Ill 

and all are in the neighborhood of Cheviot. These are Island-shire, 
being the district so named from Holy-island ; Norehamshire, so called 
from the town and castle of Noreham (or Norham) ; and Bamborough- 
shire, the ward or hundred belonging to Bamborough castle and town." 
— Percy. 

Stanza 5, line 1. *'Dryvars." Drivers of the deer. 

Stanza 5, line 3. Bowmen skirmished upon the field. 

Stanza 7, line 2. "■ Yerly." Early. 

Stanza 7, line 3. "Be that." By the time that. 

Stanza 8, line 1. They blew a blast on the horn to announce the 
death (mort) of the deer. 

Stanza 10, line 2. ' ' Observed near at hand. ' ' — Gummere. ' ' Prob- 
ably shading his eyes with his hand ; possibly looked aside." — Child. 

Stanza 12, line 4. " Yth " = y' th' = in the. 

Stanza 15, line 3. " Chy viat chays." Hunting grounds upon the 
Cheviot hills. 

Stanza 17, line 2. " Cast." Intend. 

Stanza 17, line 4. " The ton." That one, the one. 

Stanza 19, line 3. " Uppone a parti." On one side. 

Stanza 19, line 4. Let the battle be between thee and me. 

Stanza 21, line 4. "On man for on." One man for one, man 
against man. 

Stanza 25. Observe the kinds of weapons used by the English and 
the Scotch respectively. Cf. stanza 29. 

Stanza 28, line 2. What is the subject of gave? 

Stanza 28, line 3. "Doughete." Brave one. 

Stanza 30, line 1. "Myneyeple." "Manople, a gauntlet covering 
hand and forearm." — Skeat. 

Stanza 31, line 4. Compare " Otterburn," stanza 50. 

Stanza 36, line 2. " Wane might = wone (see stanza 47, line 1) = 
one ; ' a mighty one ' ; but this is unsatisfactory." — Gummere. 

Stanza 37, line 1. Through liver and lungs both. 

Stanza 40, line 2. " Monggombyrry." Montgomery. 

Stanza 41, line 2. " Hondrith archery." A hundred collected archers. 

Stanza 45, line 2. "To the harde stele." To the hard steel (head). 

Stanza 49. There is a break in the MS. after tocke^ and several 
^emendations have been offered. Professor Gummere, calling attention 
vo stanza 60, suggests: "they took them off," took themselves off, 
retreated. 

Stanza 50. In Spectator 70, Addison calls attention to the patriot- 
%m of the minstrel, by a comp^r^**^on of the numbers engaged and 



112 NOTES. 

slain on each side, and of the manner in which the two kings re- 
ceive the news of the fight (cf. stanzas 59 and 61). 

Stanza 51, line 2. "On hy." Upright. 

Stanza 52. Observe how a simple list of the slain is enlivened by 
descriptive touches. 

Stanza 57. Compare "Otterburn," stanza 67. 

Stanza 60, line 1. "Weal and wryng." "Clench so as to leave 
marks, marks with wales (?). . . Perhaps read wringe and wayley — 
Skeat. It seems more probable that weal and wryng is an alliterating 
formula like might and main or tide and time^ in which both words 
mean about the same thing. Might not iveal be a corruption of ivealt 
(Modern English welt or walt)^ to roll, to throw? Cf. A.S. wiltan 
(looeltan): M.^.wialten. 

Stanza 63. " The only important inference from a mention of King 
James is that the minstrel's date is not earlier than 1424." — Child. 

Bishop Percy says, "A succession of two or three Jameses, and 
the long detention of one of them in England, would render the name 
familiar to the English, and dispose a poet in these rude times to give 
it to any Scottish king he happened to mention." 

Stanza 65, line 2. ' ' That tear begane this spurn ' is said to be a 
proverb, meaning that tear, or pull, brought about this kick.' — Skeat. 
Such a proverb is unlikely and should be vouched. There may be 
corruption, and perhaps we should read, as a lamentation. That ear 
(ever) begane this spurn ! Or possibly, That tear is for That there, 
meaning simply there. ' ' — Child. 

Stanza 67, lines 3-4. But it is a marvel if the red blood ran not as 
the rain does in the street. 



SIE PATKICK SPENS. 

"This admired and most admirable ballad is one of many which 
were first made known to the world through Percy's 'Reliques.' 
Percy's version remains, poetically, the best. It may be a fragment, 
but the imagination easily supplies all that may be wanting." — Child. 

Stanza 1, line 1. Dunfermline palace, an ancient residence of 
Scottish nobility. 

Stanza 3, line 1. "A braid letter, i.e. open or patent; in opposi- 
tion to close rolls." — Percy. 

Stanza 4, line 2. See Johnie Armstrong, stanza 5. 

Stanza 5, line 3. Percy quotes a law of James III., forbidding ships 



NOTES. 113 

with staple goods to sail from the feast of Simon and Jude till Candle- 
mas (Oct. 28-reb. 2). 

Stanza 6, line 4-stanza 7, line 4. Compare Longfellow, '* The 
Wreck of the Hesperus." 

Stanza 7, line 1. Professor Child points out that the ill omen is the 
fact that the new moon was seen late yestreen with the old moon in 
her arm. 

Stanza 8, line 2. To wet their cork -heeled shoes. 

Stanza 8, line 4. Their hats floated on the water. 

Stanza 11, line 1. " We may fairly say, somewhere off the coast of 
Aberdeenshire, for the southern Aberdour, in the Firth of Forth, can- 
not be meant." — Child. 

JOH:NriE AEMSTEONG. 

The event which this ballad celebrates took place, according to 
Scottish historians, in the summer of 1530, when King James V. 
undertook to put down the lawless chiefs in his realm. It seems that 
the English were the principal sufferers at the hands of Johnie Arm- 
strong, but that he was also lacking in allegiance to King James is 
tolerably clear. Child (III. 362) gives the account as related by 
several historians, only one of whom, Anderson, suggests a want of 
fair dealing on the part of the king. 

Stanza 1, line 1. Westmerland. This cannot be right ; the Arm- 
strongs are known to have lived in Liddesdale and adjoining counties. 
Johnie Armstrong is of course a Scottish subject, as he could not be 
were he of Westmoreland. 

Stanza 10, line 4. Note the grammar of the line. Compare Shakes- 
peare, '' King John," Act IV., Scene 2, line 50 : — 

* ' Your safety, for the which myself and them 
Bend their best studies." 

Stanza 16. Note Gummere, Preface, xv. 

Professor Child quotes Goldsmith ("Essays," 1766, p. 14), "The 
music of the finest singer is dissonance to what I felt when our old 
dairymaid sung me into tears with ' Johnie Armstrong's Last Good 
Night,' or 'The Cruelty of Barbara Allen.' " 

THE TWA COEBIES. 

See " The Three Ravens " (Child, I. 253), of which this may be a 
" cynical variation." " A whole unuttered tragedy of love, treachery. 



114 NOTES. 

and murder lies back of these stanzas." — Beers: *'A History of 
English Romanticism," p. 275. 

Stanza 2, line 1. '' Fail dyke." Turf wall. 

SIR HUGH. 

Compare Chaucer, '• The Prioress's Tale." 

Speaking of "The Prioress's Tale," Professor Skeatsays:i '* The 
tale itself is taken from a source similar to that of the ' Legend of 
Alphonsus of Lincoln,' a story reprinted by the Chaucer Society from 
the ' Fortalitium Fidei ' ; Lugdun. 1500, f ol. ccviii. In another edition, 
printed in 1485, the ' Legend of Alphonsus ' is said to have been com- 
posed in 1459, and it is stated to be the work of a Minorite friar, whose 
name, according to Hain and others, was Alphonsus a Spina. The 
story is, that a widow residing in Lincoln has a son named Alphonsus, 
ten years of age, who goes daily to school, singing ' Alma Redemp- 
toris ' as he passes through the street where the Jews dwell. One day 
the Jews seize him, cut out his tongue, tear out his heart, and throw 
his body into a filthy pit. But the Virgin appears to him, gives him a 
precious stone in place of a tongue, and enables him to sing ' Alma 
Redemptoris' for four days. His mother seeks and finds him, and he 
is borne to the cathedral, still singing. The bishop celebrates mass ; 
the boy reveals the secret, resigns the precious stone to the bishop, 
gives up the ghost, and is buried in a marble tomb. A similar legend 
is narrated concerning Hugh of Lincoln. ... In 'Originals and 
Analogues of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales,' Pt. III. (Chaucer Society, 
1876), is the story of 'The Paris Beggar-boy ' murdered by a Jew, 
printed from the Vernon MS., leaf 123, back. It is well told, and has 
some remarkable points of agreement with ' The Prioress's Tale.' . . . 
The same work contains a similar story, in French verse, of a boy 
killed by a Jew for singing ' Gaude Maria,' from MS. Harl. 4401. 

"Tyrwhitt's account of 'The Prioress's Tale' is as follows: 'The 
transition from the " Tale of the Shipman " to that of the Prioresse is 
happily managed. I have not been able to discover from what 
Legende of the Miracles of Our Lady the Prioress's Tale is taken. 
From the scene being laid in Asia, it should seem that this was one of 
the oldest of the many stories which have been propagated, at different 
times, to excite or justify several merciless persecutions of the Jews, 
upon the charge of murthering Christian children. The story of Hugh 

1 W. W. Skeat: '' Complete Works of Chaucer," III. 421, f. 



NOTES. 115 

of Lincoln, which is mentioned in the last stanza, is placed by Matthew 
Paris under the year 1255. ..." 

There is to-day in the south aisle of the choir of Lincoln Cathedral a 
small tomb, said to cover the remains of Little St. Hugh of Lincoln. 

Stanza 3, line 1. '* He's doen him." Taken himself, gone. 

Stanza 11, line 1. Professor Child calls attention to the fact that 
coffer seems rather ridiculous here, but that used with mantle 
it makes one of the commonplace phrases of ballads. 

Stanza 13, line 2. What is the subject of thought ? 

THE BEAES YAEEOW. 

James Hogg sent one version of this ballad to Sir Walter Scott with 
the following account (Child, IV. 163) : '' Tradition placeth the event 
on which this song is founded very early. That the song hath been 
written near the time of the transaction appears quite evident, 
although, like others, by frequent singing the language is become 
adapted to an age not so far distant. The bard does not at all relate 
particulars, but only mentions some striking features of a tragical 
event which everybody knew. This is observable in many of the pro- 
ductions of early times; at least the secondary bards seem to have 
regarded their songs as purely temporary. 

" The hero of the ballad is said to have been of the name of Scott, 
and is called a knight of great bravery. He lived in Ettrick, some say 
at Oakwood, others Kirkhope ; but was treacherously slain by his 
brother-in-la.w, as related in the ballad, who had him at ill will because 
his father had parted with the half of all his goods and gear to his 
sister on her marriage with such a respectable man." 

" Yarrow is the center of the once famous but now vanished Forest 
of Ettrick, with its memories of proud huntings and chivalry, of 
glamourie and the law of Eaery. Again, it is the home of some *old 
unhappy far-off thing,' some immemorial romantic sorrow, so remote 
that tradition has forgotten its incidents, yet cannot forget the im- 
pression of its sadness. Ballad after ballad comes down loaded with 
a dirge-like wail for some sad event, made still sadder for that it befell 
in Yarrow." — Shairp, ''Aspects of Poetry" (Essay on The Three 
Yarrows), p. 280. 

See Wordsworth's three poems: "Yarrow Unvisited," "Yarrow 
Visited," and "Yarrow Revisited." 

Stanza 1, line 4. " Yarrow." A river in Selkirkshire, Scotland. 



116 NOTES. 

Stanza 10. Compare death with that of Johnie Armstrong. The 
ballad hero is often slain with a cowardly felon's stroke. 

LORD THOMAS AND FAIR ANNET. 

'' One of the most beautiful of our ballads, and, indeed, of all 
ballads." — Child. 

Stanza 4, line 3. Professor Gum mere calls attention to the fact that 
nut-broivne here is the opposite of beautiful, and so is not used as in 
' ' The Nut-brown Maid. ' ' 

Stanza 8, line 1. "Billie." Comrade, brother. A term of affection. 

Stanza 11, line 2. " Owt o hand." At once. 

Stanza 29. Compare ' ' Fair Margaret and Sweet William, ' ' stanza 18. 
Note also the beginning of the two ballads. The two stories, says 
Professor Child, have been blended in tradition. 

*'The beautiful fancy of plants springing from the graves of star- 
crossed lovers, and signifying, by the intertwining of stems or leaves, 
or in other analogous ways, that an earthly passion has not been ex- 
tinguished by death, presents itself, as is well known, very frequently 
in popular poetry. Though the graves be made far apart, even on 
opposite sides of the church, or one to the north and one to the south 
outside of the church, or one without kirk wall and one in the choir, 
however separated, the vines or trees seek one another out, and mingle 
their branches or their foliage : — 

*' ' Even from the tomb the voice of Nature cries, 
Even in our ashes live their wonted fires ! ' " 

— Child, I. 96. 

Note that Lord Thomas, since he died by his own hand, is buried 
•• without kirk-wa." 



FAIR MARGARET AND SWEET WILLIAM. 

This ballad and the two following are illustrations of those in which 
the supernatural appears. 

Stanza 1. Compare first stanza of " Lord Thomas and Fair Annet. " 
Stanza 2, lines 1-2. Percy notes that a variant of these lines is 

quoted by Beaumont and Fletcher in "The Knight of the Burning 

Pestle," Act IIL, Scene 5 : — 



NOTES. 117 

*' You are no love for me, Margaret, 
I am no love for you.'' 

As the lines stand in the text they are well-nigh meaningless. 



SWEET WILLIAM'S GHOST. 

Compare Scott's "William and Helen," an adaptation of Burger's 
'* Lenore." Burger, of course, knew the English ballads well. 

Stanza 5. Margaret, of course, thinks William is alive. 
Stanza 10, line 1. In another version the return of the troth is 
described as follows : — 

" Up "she has tain a bright long wand, 

And she has straked her trouth thereon ; 

She has given (it) him out at a shot-window, 

Wi' many a sad sigh and heavy groan." 

Stanza 14. Compare " Wife of Usher's Well," stanza 9. 

Stanza 16. "Percy remarks that the concluding stanza seems 
modern. There can be no doubt that both that and the one before it 
are modern ; but, to the extent of Margaret's dying on her lover's 
grave, they are very likely to represent original verses not remembered 
in form." —Child, II. 226. 



THE WIFE OF USHEE'S WELL. 

Stanza 4. The mother curses the sea. 

Stanza 4, line 2. "Fashes," MS. fishes. Gummere quotes Lock- 
hart's suggestion of fashes = troubles, disturbances, storms. 

Stanza 6, line 1 . " Martinmass. ' ' November 1 1 . 

Stanza 8. "A motive for the return of the wife's three sons is not 
found in the fragments which remain to us. . . . But supplying a 
motive would add nothing to the impressiveness of these verses. 
Nothing that we have is more profoundly affecting." — Child, II. 238. 

Stanza 11, line 1. A favorite line of Robert Burns's. See " When 
Willie Brewed a Peck o' Maut." 

Stanza 12, lines 3-4. " The beauty of reticence in this last farewell 
is as delicate as anything we have in literature." — Gummere. 



118 NOTES. 



YOUNG WATEES. 

Stanza 1, line 2. " Tables, a sort of backgammon, was very 
popular even in the thirteenth century ; and the round-tables, that is 
an indoor recreation, may have been something of the sort." — Gum- 
mere. 

Stanza 6, line 1. "Laird." A landholder, under the degree of 
knight. — Jamieson. 

Stanza 11, line 2. " Bot and." And also. 



EDWAED. 

" One of the noblest and most sterling specimens of the popular 
ballads." — Child. 

"This seems to me one of the most powerful and altogether well- 
made ballads in our language, and is capable of being chanted — as it 
must have been — with most dramatic effect. The rhythm is very 
beautiful, and should be well preserved in recitation." — Sidney Lanier. 

Compare the refrain, " Mither, Mither," with the "Mother, Mary 
Mother" of Rossetti's " Sister Helen." 



THE NUT-BEOWN MAID. 

Professor Child speaks of this as "our exquisite romance of The 
Nut-brown Maid" (I. 112), but does not admit it into his collection of 
ballads. 

Professor Hales ^ refers to it as "one of the most exquisite pieces 
of late mediseval poetry." 

The date of the poem is uncertain, but it was printed first in 
"Arnold's Chronicle," about 1502, and, as Percy suggested, it is not 
probable that an antiquary like Arnold would have inserted it among 
his historical collections if it had been then a modem piece. 

Observe the didacticism in this poem — so uncommon in ballads. 
Here surely is the work of an individual author. 

There is a sarcastic touch in these men (first stanza), which sup- 
ports Percy's view, based on the last stanza, that the poem was written 
by a woman. 

Let the student observe that the speaker in the first and third 

1 Bishop Percy's Folio MS., HI. 174. 



NOTES. 119 

stanzas is a man, and in the second and fourth a woman. At the 
end of the third stanza the man speaks in the person of a knight, and 
is replied to in the fourth by the woman, who at the end of the stanza 
answers in the person of The Nut-brown Maid. The remainder of 
the poem, except the last stanza, consists of alternate speeches of the 
personated knight and maid. 
The text used here is that of Percy's '' Reliques." 

Stanza 1 , line 1. "Among." All the time. Cf. Bale's " King John," 
11 : " I am his gostly father and techear amonge.'''' Also Shakespeare's 
'' Henry IV," Part II., Act V. , Sc. 3 : — 

*' And lusty lads roam here and there 
So merrily. 
And ever among so merrily." 

Stanza 1, line 5. " Never a dele." Not a bit. 

Stanza 1, line 7. "Late." Let. 

Stanza 1, line 9. "A newe." A new lover. 

Stanza 1, line 12. " He is a banyshed man." Observe the refrains 
in the alternating stanzas. 

Stanza 2, line 3. " Who." Indefinite pronoun, one. 

Stanza 2, line 8. "Recorde." Let the Nut-brown Maid bear wit- 
ness. 

Stanza 5, line 1. "Do." Done. 

Stanza 5, line 10. "None other rede I can." No other counsel I 
know. 

Stanza 6, line 6. "Depart." Separate. 

Stanza 6, line 7. " Wheder." Whither. 

Stanza 7, line 5. "Aslake." Abate, decrease. 

Stanza 7, line 7. " Ought." In an older version (Arnold's " Chron- 
icle") this word is nought (not), which is a better reading. In the 
same version make thought is take thought, which also is better. 

Stanza 8, line 6. "Leve." Remain. Cf. "Robin Hood and the 
Potter" (Child, IIL 112, 60) : " wolde not leffe behynde." 

Stanza 9, line 3. "Of yonge," etc. By young, etc. Cf. stanza 10, 
line 1. 

Stanza 9, line 10. " Yll." Wicked. 

Stanza 11, line 3. " Dout." Fear. 

Stanza 11, line 11. " Go." Gone. 

Stanza 13, line 3. " Pyte." Pity. 

Stanza 13, line 5. " If I had nede." If I were in danger. 



120 NOTES. 

Stanza 15, line 3. '' Valeies." Valleys. 

Stanza 16, line 7. " Me semeth." It seems to me. 

Stanza 16, line 7. ''Parde" (French pardi, par Dieii). Perhaps 
not stronger here than indeed, to be sure. 

Stanza 17, line 3. '" Gete." Got (past participle). The reading in 
Arnold's " Chronicle," for to gete is better. 

Stanza-17, line 9. "Dyete." Diet, manner of living. 

Stanza 18, line 7. "In hele." In health. 

Stanza 19, line 4. " Kyrtel." Kirtle. 

Stanza 20, line 1. "Asnowe." Immediately. 

Stanza 20, line 2. "Longeth." Belongeth. 

Stanza 20, line 7. " Ensue." Follow. 

Stanza 22, line 2. " By me." About me. 

Stanza 22, line 10. " Therefore." Therefor, for that. 

Stanza 23, line 10. See note to stanza 5, line 10. 

Stanza 26, line 4. " Your." Yours. 

Stanza 27, line 1. "Prove." Proof. 

Stanza 27, line 7. " Ruthe." Pity. 

Stanza 27, line 8. " Rewe." Rue. 

Stanza 28, line 6. "On the splene." Suddenly. — Mayhev^ and 
Skeat. 

Stanza 29, line 3. " God defend." God forbid. 

Stanza 29, line 4. " Lyn^ge." Lineage. 

Stanza 29, line 11. " Erlys." EarPs. 

Stanza 30, line 7. What is the antecedent of which ? 

Stanza 30, line 8. (To learn) if they be charitable. 



GLOSSARY. 



A, on, one, 

a, all. 

abon, aboone, above, 

abyde, await, endure, 

after (after the way), along, on. 

ain, oion. 

an, if. 

and, often equivalent to an = if. 

anon, at once. 

arros, arrows. 

auld, old. 

avowe, vow. 

Ba, ball. 

bale, /larm, misfortune ; plu., balys. 

bar, 6ore. 

barne, ma?i. 

basnites, bassonnettes, helmets. 

be, 5?/. See by. 

bedone, worked, 

beene, are. 

beerys, biers. 

belive, quickly. 

bent, field. 

ber, see bar. 

berne, see barne. 

bete, mend, remedy. 

betwayne (by twain), between. 

bey re, bear. 

birk, birch. 

blane, stopped, ceased. 



boote, remedy. 

borowed, set free, delivered, 

bot, but. 

bowen, see bowne. 

bowne, ready, make ready. 

bowyn, see bowne. 

bowynd, set out. 

boys, bows. 

braes, hills, hillsides, 

brede, broad. 

brent, burnt. 

briddis, birds. 

brome, broom. 

brook, enjoy, use. 

brown (of swords), probably bur- 
nished, or glistening. 

bryar, a thorny bush, or shrub. 

bryttlynge, breaking or cutting 
up. 

buske, bush. 

buske, prepare, adorn. 

but if, unless. 

by, about, concerning. 

byckarte, fought, skirmished. 

byddes, abides. 

by ears, biers. 

byn, be. 

byre, cow-house. 

byste, be. 

bystode, hard bystode, hard 
pressed. 



121 



122 



GLOSSARY. 



Can, know. 

capull-hyde, horse'' s hide. 

carline, old woman. 

carpe, talk, sing, say. 

cawte, loary. 

channerin, fretting. 

cleading, clothing. 

coffer, trunk, box. 

collayne, Cologne steel. 

comyn bell, common bell, town 

bell. 
corbies, ravens. 
cors, curse. 

corsiare, courser, steed. 
cowthe, could. 
crowne, head. 

Daw, to dawn. 

de, to die. 

den, a hollow, a small valley. 

dere, harm, injufy. 

do, done. 

done, down. 

dowy, melancholy, sad. 

doys, does. 

dre, endure, suffer. 

drie, drye, see dre. 

dule, sorrow. 

dyght, done. 

dynte, a blow. 

dy stray ne, vex, distress. 

Een, eyes. 

eir, ere. 

erne, uncle. 

emys, gen. sing, of eme. 

enoye, annoyance. 

even, smooth. 

everilkon, every one. 

Fache, fetch. 

fadge, a clumsy woman. 



feale, fail. 
f erd, fear. 
fere, company : in fere, or on fere, 

together. 
ferly, strange, dreadful. 
fette, fetched. 
fey re, fair. 
ffaine, fain, glad. 
ffarly, see ferly. 
ffetteled, made ready. 
fit, song, stanza. 
foulys, birds. 
fourtnet, fortnight. 
fowarde, van. 
frae, from. 
freake, see freyke. 
f reckys, plu. , see freyke. 
freyke, man, warrior, 
fro, from. 
fylde, field. 
fytte, see fit. 

Gade, went. 

gae, go. 

ganyde, gained. 

gard, garde, caused. 

garland, target used in shooting, 

garre, make, cause. 

gear, property, 

gete, got. 

gie, give. 

gin, if 

glede, a burning coal. 

glent, to glance, to move quickly. 

golett, throat, part of hood cover- 
ing the throat. 

gowd, gold. 

gowden-graitbed, adorned with 
gold. 

grevis, groves. 

gritb, peace, security. 



GLOSSARY. 



123 



gresse, grass. 
growende, ground, 
gryselj, frightfully. 

Ha, hall. 

liaes, has. 

halyde, drew. 

haryed, harried, plundered. 

hause-bane, neck-bone. 

haylle, hale, strong. 

he, hee, high. 

heal, hail. 

heiding-hill, heading-hill, place of 

execution. 
hele, health. 
hem, them. 
heng, hang. 
her, their. 
het, it. 

hight, promise, promised. 
hinde, gentle. 
holland, Holland linen. 
holtes, woods. 
horn, see hem. 
hoved, tarried, remained. 
hows, house. 
husbond, head of family, small 

farmer. 
hye, upon hye, aloud. 
hyght, see hight. 
hyght, on hyght, on high. 

Ilkone, each one. 

I'se, I shall, sometimes equivalent 

to / do. 
iwysse, certainly, 

Kaimed, combed. 
kems, combs. 
kens, knows. 
kye, kine, cattle. 



Laith, loath. 

large, free. 

late, let. 

lauch, laugh. 

lawe, custom, rule. 

layn, layne, lie. 

leive, leave. 

lesse, false. 

let, hinder, retard. 

lever, rather. 

ling, grass, rush, heather. 

list, me list, it pleases me. 

lock, look. 

logeed, lodged, quartered. 

logeyng, lodging. 

long, long of, owing to, the fault of 

looged, see logeed. 

loset, loosed. 

lowe, hill. 

luikt, looked. 

lust, wish, pleasure. 

lyed, gave the lie to. 

lyght, alighted. 

lynde, linden, tree, 

lyne, see lynde. 

lyng, see ling. 

Made, caused. 

makys, mates. 

male, mail, coat of mail. 

mane, moan. 

manere, behavior. 

marchandise, dealing. 

march-man, border warrior. 

march-parti, border country. 

marrow, mate, match. 

maste, mayst. 

masteryes, trials of skill. 

maun, must. 

may, maid. 

maye, see may. 



124 



GLOSSARY. 



meany, train^ company^ retinue. 

mornyng, mourning, 

mosse, swamp., hog. 

mot, mote., may. 

mykkel, great., much, 

myllan, Milan steel. 

mylner, miller. 

Nare, nor. 
non, none. 
none, noon. 
nouther, neither. 

Of, off., on, from, by ; do of, doff. 

off, of. 

on, one, of. 

or, ere. 

oware, hour. 

owre, over. 

outlay, outlaw. 

Parti, side. 

pastes, pasties., pies. 

peyses, pieces. 

peysse, peace. 

pin, part of the fastening of a 

door. 
pouing, pulling. 
pricke, wand or rod used as mark 

in shooting. 
pricke- wande, same as pricke. 
prycked, spurred. 
pyght, pitched. 

Quyrry, quarry, the slaughtered 

game. 
quyte, requite, pay. 

Radly, quickly. 
raysse, raid, rush. 
reacheles on, reckless of 



reane, ram. 

reas, raise. 

rede, counsel. 

rede, to interpret, guess. 

renne, run. 

rescous, rescue. 

rewyth, rueth, grieves. 

rin, run. 

ring, the hammer of a door knocker, 

rinnes, runs. 

rode, rood, cross. 

roke, reek, fog, vapor. 

TOO, roe, deer. 

rowd, rolled. 

rowght, battle. 

rowynde, round. 

ryall, royal. 

Sad, heavy. 

sae, so. 

sawten, assault. 

say, saiv. 

schoote, sent off, discarded. 

se, see, saw. 

securly, certainly, surely. 

see (save and see), protect. 

shawes, shaws, woods, groves. 

shear (cf. Scotch seir), several. 

sheene, splendor, brightness. 

shet, shot. 

sheugh, furrow, ditch. 

sheyne, sheen, beautiful. 

shone, shoon, shoes. 

shroggs, shrubs. 

shyne, can shyne, shone. 

sicke, such. 

side, long downwards. 

sin, see syn. 

sithe, since. 

skinkled, sparkled. 

slade, valley. 



GLOSSARY. 



125 



sloughe, slew. 

sparred, closed, barred. 

spendyd, spanned, grasped. 

sprente, sprang out, crinkled. 

spyrred, asked, inquired. 

stage, stag. 

stalle, place. 

stean, stone. 

Sterne, bold oiies. 

Steven, voice. 

stounde, time, moment. 

stour, conflict, battle. 

stowre, see stour. 

stye, roadf path. 

stynttyde, paused, stopped. 

styrande, stirring, raising. 

suar, sure. 

sun, son. 

swapte, struck. 

swear, swore. 

sweavens, dreams. 

swonyng, swooning. 

syke, '' marshy bottom with stream 

in it " — Jamieson. 
syn, sincCy afterwards. 
syne, see syn. 
syth, since. 

Taine, taken. 

tane, one. 

than, then. 

the, thee, they. 

the, thee. 

thedurwarde, thitherward. 

theek, thatch. 

then, than. 

the, those. 

thorowe, through. 

thought, with dat., seemed. 

thrae, through. 

thrast, pressed. 



threw, twisted, turned toward each 

other. 
throly, eagerly, boldly. 
tift, puff. 
till, to. 
tint, lost. 

tirled, trilled, rattled. 
tithingus, tidings. 
ton, one. 
tone, see ton. 
tothar, other. 
tre, wood. 
trone, throne. 
tristil-tree, trysting tree, meeting 

place. 
tul, till. 

twinn (in twinn), apart. 
tyde, time. 

Until, u7ito, into. 

Veiwe, " yew '' — Child, 
verament, verily. 

Wae, woe. 

wame, womb. 

warison, waryson, reward* 

wat, know. 

wear, were. 

wedous, widows. 

well, will. 

well-wight, strong, sturdy. 

weynde, turned. 

why 11 (that), until. 

wife, woman. 

wight, brave, strong. 

wilfull, strayed, bewildered, lost 

wone, number, plenty, 

won, wone, one. 

woo, looe. 

woodweele (Ms. woodweete), wfe- 



126 



GLOSSARY. 



wal, generally explained as wood- 
pecker, 

wood- wroth, mad with rage. 

wott, see wat. 

wouche, evil^ wrong. 

wrocken, avenged. 

wyght, see wight. 

wyld, loild deer. 



Wynne, joy, 
wyth, by, 

Yae, every. 
yare, ready, 
yede, went, 
yee, eye. 
yerlle^ earl. 



MAR 13 1902 



1 cuPV DEL. TO CAT, DIM. 
MAR. 13 1902 



IW^R. 18 



1902 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




013 999 726 8 



m 



